Antimicrobial peptide gene expression in medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Antimicrobial peptide gene expression in medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw. Pathol Res Pract. 2020 Oct 09;216(12):153245 Authors: Thiel Y, Ghayor C, Lindhorst D, Essig H, Weber F, Rücker M, Schumann P Abstract Bisphosphonates and denosumab are commonly used antiresorptive therapies in patients with bone metastasis and osteoporosis. Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a serious side effect of these drugs, and infection has been recognized as a contributing factor. Current therapeutic options for MRONJ show limited effectiveness, therefore necessitating novel treatment strategies. Bisphosphonates have recently been reported to induce the expression of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), an inherent component of the immune system. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the influence of the anti-RANKL antibody denosumab and bisphosphonates on the gene expression of selected AMPs: human α-defensin-1, human α-defensin-3, human β-defensin-1, and human β-defensin-3. Bone specimens were collected from patients with MRONJ who had been treated with bisphosphonates (n = 6) or denosumab (n = 6), and from healthy subjects (n = 6) with no history of treatment with bone metabolism-influencing drugs. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to quantify the expression levels of selected AMPs. Samples from patients treated with denosumab showed signifi...
Source: Pathology, Research and Practice - Category: Pathology Authors: Tags: Pathol Res Pract Source Type: research