Immunolocalization of CSF-1, RANKL and OPG in the enamel-related periodontium of the rat incisor and their implications for alveolar bone remodeling

The enamel-related periodontium (ERP) in rat incisors is related to bone resorption. In these teeth the face of the socket related to the enamel is continuously removed at the inner side and newly formed at the outer side. CSF-1, RANKL and OPG are regulatory molecules essential for osteoclastogenesis. To verify the effects of impeded eruption on bone remodeling, the tooth eruption was prevented by immobilization of lower rat incisor and CSF-1, RANKL and OPG distribution in the ERP was analyzed after 18 days of immobilization and in normal eruption. The region of the alveolar crest of the rat incisor was used. Immunohistochemistry and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) were performed. The immunostaining of the dental follicle was quantified using Leica QWin software. Positive-TRAP osteoclasts were counted, and both groups were compared. In the normal incisor, the number of osteoclasts was significantly greater than in the immobilized tooth. In the dental follicle, there was no significant difference in the immunostaining intensity for CSF-1 and OPG between the groups (p > 0.05), but for RANKL the immobilized incisor group showed immunostaining intensity smaller than the normal incisor group (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that changes in the ERP, in the immobilized incisor, modify the RANKL/OPG ratio, in the presence of CSF-1, altering the metabolism of cells that participate in the bone remodeling.