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. 2021 Apr 22;17(1):14.
doi: 10.1186/s13005-021-00265-3.

Effects of estrogen deficiency during puberty on maxillary and mandibular growth and associated gene expression - an μCT study on rats

Erika Calvano Küchler  1   2 , Rafaela Mariana de Lara  3 , Marjorie Ayumi Omori  4 , Guido Marañón-Vásquez  4 , Flares Baratto-Filho  5 , Paulo Nelson-Filho  4 , Maria Bernadete Sasso Stuani  4 , Moritz Blanck-Lubarsch  6 , Agnes Schroeder  7 , Peter Proff  7 , Christian Kirschneck  8
Affiliations

Effects of estrogen deficiency during puberty on maxillary and mandibular growth and associated gene expression - an μCT study on rats

Erika Calvano Küchler et al. Head Face Med. .

Abstract

Background: Estrogen is a well-known and important hormone involved in skeletal homeostasis, which regulates genes involved in bone biology. Some studies support that estrogen is important for craniofacial growth and development. Therefore this in vivo animal study aimed to investigate, whether and in which way low estrogen levels in the prepubertal period affect craniofacial development in the postpubertal stage and to quantify the gene expression of RANK, RANKL and OPG in cranial growth sites in ovariectomized estrogen-deficient rats during puberty.

Methods: Control (sham-operated, n = 18) and ovariectomy (OVX, n = 18) surgeries were performed on 21-days-old female Wistar rats. Animals euthanized at an age of 45 days (pubertal stage) were used for gene expression analyses (n = 6 per group) and immunohistochemistry of RANK, RANKL and OPG. Animals euthanized at 63 days of age (post-pubertal stage) were used for craniofacial two-dimensional and three-dimensional craniofacial measurements using μCT imaging (n = 12 per group).

Results: In the μCT analysis of the mandible and maxilla many statistically significant differences between sham-operated and OVX groups were observed, such as increased maxillary and mandibular bone length in OVX animals (p < 0.05). Condylar volume was also significantly different between groups (p < 0.05). The sham-operated group showed a higher level of RANK expression in the midpalatal suture (p = 0.036) and the RANKL:OPG ratio levels were higher in the OVX group (p = 0.015).

Conclusions: Our results suggest that estrogen deficiency during the prepubertal period is associated with alterations in the maxillary and mandibular bone length and condylar growth.

Keywords: Estrogen; Gene expression; Mandible; Maxilla; Tooth.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no competing interests of any of the authors.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Landmarks used for maxillary and mandibular measurements. a Inferior view of maxilla. b Lateral view of skull. c Inferior view of mandible. d Frontal view of mandible. e Superior view of mandible. f Lateral view of mandible
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
μCT imaging example illustrating the mandible. a Pre-sized square in the condyle. b Region of interest
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Representative photomicrographs of the immunostaining for RANK, RANKL and OPG of the condyle and the midpalatal suture at 45 days of age. Magnification: 20x
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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