Periostin-Like-Factor Induced Bone Formation within Rapid Maxillary Expansion

  • Wei-Bing Zhang, Department of Orthodontics, Collage of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China, Chinese Orthodontic Society
  • Wei-Jie Zhong, Department of Orthodontics, Shanghai Stomatological Disease Center, Shanghai, China, Chinese Orthodontic Society
  • Jun-Qing Ma, Department of Orthodontics, Collage of Stomatology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China, Chinese Orthodontic Society
  • Lin Wang, Nanjing Medical University, Chinese Orthodontic Society

Objective: To examine whether Periostin-Like-Factor (PLF) stimulation of the distracted palatal suture would accelerate mineral formation of bone.
Materials and Methods: Distracted palates of 6-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were maintained in an organ culture system, and tissue was either unstimulated or stimulated with PLF or BMP-7 for 8 days. Bone mineral formation was assessed by Raman microspectroscopy analysis and histological examination.
Results: Raman microspectroscopy analysis demonstrated that unstimulated palates maintained their bone mineral concentration within the intermaxillary suture over 8 days (%increase =11.29±2.34). In comparison, palates exposed to either PLF (%increase =29.33±1.61, P = 0.012) or BMP-7 (% increase =25.49±1.09, P = 0.016) formed significantly more bone at the osteogenic fronts of the intermaxillary suture compared with control samples at day 8. ALP activity along the bone edges was markedly greater in the PLF and BMP-7 groups compared with to that in control groups at day 0 and day 8. The levels of osteocalcin proteins in the midpalatal suture tissues of the PLF and BMP-7 groups were significantly higher than those in the control group.
Conclusion: This study shows that PLF can increase bone mineral formation within the palatal suture and may be beneficial in preventing orthodontic relapse.