Impact of Autoimmune Demyelinating Brain Disease Sera on Pericyte Survival

Introduction

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by demyelination and brain pericyte dysfunction might be involved in MS pathogenesis Our aim was to evaluate whether the factors in serum affect pericyte survival.

Method

C57BL/6 female mice were immunized with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) to induce experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). To confirm the animal model, the sera level of anti-MOG antibody in mice and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) in patients was measured by ELISA. Human brain vascular pericytes (HBVP) cell lines were incubated with sera of EAE mice and primer progressive MS (PPMS), seconder progressive MS (SPMS) and relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients. The viability of HBVP is measured with Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide staining with flow cytometry.

Results

Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide staining with flow cytometry showed increased ratios of early apoptosis and decreased survival following incubation with sera of EAE and progressive MS. Levels of platelet-derived growth factor-BB were identical in serum and cerebrospinal fluids of patients with different forms of MS.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that serum factors might contribute to progressive MS pathogenesis via pericyte dysfunction.

Suppressor Effects of Sodium Pentaborate Pentahydrate and Pluronic F68 on Adipogenic Differentiation and Fat Accumulation

Obesity is a major public health problem worldwide and a risk factor for certain diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and depression. Unfortunately, currently available anti-obesity drugs have failed in the long-term maintenance of weight control. It has been a challenge to design novel drugs that could potentially treat obesity or prevent uncontrolled weight-gain which lies underneath the pathology of obesity. Since obesity in a way is a consequence of the accumulating new mature adipocytes from undifferentiated precursors which is a process also termed as adipogenesis, drugs that might control adipogenesis could be beneficial for the treatment of obesity. In the current study, combined effect of sodium pentaborate pentahydrate (NaB) and pluronic F68 on adipogenic differentiation was examined by administering various combinations of the two agents to human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) in in vitro. Immunocytochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR were performed to evaluate the levels of adipogenesis-promoting genes such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), fatty acid binding protein (FABP4), and adiponectin. Results indicated that expressions of all these three genes were restrained. Furthermore, Oil Red O staining revealed that lipid vesicle formation was reduced in hADSCs treated with differentiation medium containing NaB/F68 combination. Finally, expression levels of Hippo pathway kinases Lats2, MST1, and scaffold protein Sav1 were reduced in these cells, suggesting a possible link between Hippo pathway-dependent downregulation of PPARγ and the NaB/F68 treatment. Herein, we showed that combination of NaB and F68 curtails adipocyte differentiation by inhibiting the adipogenic transcriptional program leading to a decrease in lipid accumulation in adipocytes even at very low doses, thereby uncovered a striking opportunity to use this combination in obesity treatment.

Radiological examination of the articular eminence morphology using cone beam CT

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the articular eminence inclination and height according to age and gender in patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction and healthy controls using cone beam CT (CBCT).

METHODS

The measurements were performed on CBCT records of 52 TMJ dysfunction patients (11 males and 41 females) and 41 control patients (17 males and 24 females). The eminence inclination and height were measured on the CBCT images.

RESULTS

The eminence inclination and height values were higher in males than in females in both TMJ dysfunction patient and control groups; however, these differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). While no statistically significant differences were found in the eminence inclination and height values between the age groups (p>0.05) in the TMJ dysfunction patient group, there were statistically significant differences in the control group. The eminence inclination was highest between the ages of 21 and 30 years and showed a decrease after the age of 30 years. Additionally, the eminence inclinations of the control patients were statistically higher than those of the TMJ dysfunction patients.

CONCLUSION

There were no statistically significant differences in eminence inclination and height according to gender. The eminence inclination reaches its highest value between the ages of 21 and 30 years and shows a decrease after the age of 31 years in healthy patients. The eminence inclination was steeper in healthy control patients than in patients with TMJ dysfunction.

Radiographic evaluation on prevalence of Stafne bone defect: a study from two centres in Turkey

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of Stafne bone defect (SBD) and to describe the clinical and radiological characteristics of detected cases.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed using panoramic radiographs from 34 221 patients undergoing dental treatment in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology at Erciyes University and Ataturk University, Turkey. After finding an image compatible with SBD in the radiographs, multislice CT (MSCT) on seven patients and cone beam CT (CBCT) on six patients were performed to confirm the diagnosis.

RESULTS

Of the 34 221 patients, 29 (0.08 %) had SBDs, of whom 4 were female (13.8%) and 25 were male (86.2 %). The age range of patients with SBD was 18-77 years (mean age 49.6 years). SBD was found in the lingual molar region in 28 patients and in the lingual canine-premolar region of the mandible in 1 patient. The contour of the concavities on CT images (MSCT and CBCT) was detected. The MSCT revealed glandular tissue within the defects.

CONCLUSIONS

According to our results, SBD is an uncommon anomaly. Examination of MSCT images supports the presence of aberrant submandibular glands within these mandibular defects, suggesting that pressure from submandibular gland tissue had caused the SBD, as generally thought. Both CBCT and MSCT can provide adequate support for the detection of SBDs. The CBCT could be suggested as the most suitable non-invasive diagnostic modality for this bony configuration of the mandible since it provides a lower radiation exposure dose than MSCT.

Pneumatization of the articular eminence on cone beam computed tomography: prevalence, characteristics and a review of the literature

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of pneumatized articular eminence (PAT) by cone beam CT (CBCT) and to present a review of the PAT literature.

METHODS

A retrospective study was performed using sagittal and coronal CBCT images of 514 patients in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Ataturk University, Turkey. Age and gender were recorded for all patients and, for the cases of PAT, laterality and types were also recorded. The χ(2) test was used.

RESULTS

Of the 514 patients, 41 (8.0%) had PAT, of whom 25 were female (61.0%) and 16 were male (39.0%). This difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The age range of the patients with PAT was 15-62 years (mean 30.6 ± 11.4). Of the 41 patients, 31 (75.6%) had unilateral and 10 (24.4%) had bilateral PAT. 17 (41.5%) PATs were unilocular and 24 (58.5%) were multilocular.

CONCLUSIONS

It is possible that PAT is a more frequent condition than is commonly perceived. In differential diagnosis of suspected cases or in cases for which surgical treatment is planned, panoramic radiographs should be supplemented with CBCT.

Relationship between mandibular nutrient canals and hypertension

This study was undertaken to investigate the correlation between the presence of nutrient canals in the mandibular anterior region and hypertension. Periapical radiographs taken from the mandibular anterior region of 139 normotensive and 76 hypertensive edentulous patients were examined. There was no statistical difference in the incidence of nutrient canals between normotensive and hypertensive patients, suggesting that the presence of nutrient canals is not indicative of the existence of hypertension.

Gingival enlargement in acromegaly

In this study, we investigated gingival enlargement in patients with acromegaly as a component of the disease. Eleven patients (5 males, 6 females) were evaluated. Diagnosis was confirmed with typical clinical features and laboratory. Oral examinations were carried out by the same periodontist. During the examination, plaque index, gingival index, probing pocket depths, and gingival enlargement values were evaluated. Duration of the disease was between 0.2 and 13 yr. Seven patients had pituitary macroadenomas and four had microadenomas during their initial diagnosis. Only one patient was newly diagnosed. The other patients had previously undergone surgery. Gingival enlargement was found in eight patients. Seven patients with gingival enlargement also had prognathism, and one patient had prognathism associated with gingival enlargement. These findings demonstrate that acromegaly that results in overgrowth in various organs should be considered one of the causes of gingival enlargement.

Evaluation of the mandible as an alternative autogenous bone source for oral and maxillofacial reconstruction

The objective of this study was to quantify the amount of bone graft material present in the different regions of the mandible while avoiding the inferior alveolar neurovascular bundle, mental foramen and tooth injury. The study was carried out on 16 samples of dry, cadaverous skull. The dimensions of the anterior part of ascending ramus, mandibular symphysis and mandibular body in these samples were evaluated. The osteotomy lines in the anterior part of the ascending ramus were made in front of the mandibular canal from the mandibular notch to 3 mm posterior of the root of the third molar. The osteotomy line in the mandibular body was made just medial to the external oblique ridge from the ascending ramus to approximately 3 mm posterior to the mental foramen. Vertical osteotomy lines were then made from the cut ends of the first osteotomy down to the lower border of the mandible. The osteotomy lines in the mandibular symphysis were performed on the mandible with 5-mm safety margins caudal to the expected position of the mandibular dentition, anterior to the position of the mental foramen, and cephalad to the inferior border of the mandible. It was determined that the dimensions of the anterior part of the ascending ramus were 37.60 mm x 33.17 mm x 22.48 mm x 9.15 mm, and the thickest part of the graft material was 12.23 mm. The average horizontal length of the mandibular body bone was 35.10 mm, and the average vertical length was 19.13 mm. The dimensions of the bone graft obtained from the mandibular symphysis were 45.36 mm x 10.31 mm, and the average thickness was 9.63 mm. Based on the results of this study, it is apparent that the different regions of the mandible can reliably be selected as the harvest site in a variety of oral and maxillofacial reconstructive procedures.

Generalized gingival hyperplasia occurring during pregnancy

In this report, we present a case of generalized gingival hyperplasia related to pregnancy causing chewing, speaking, breathing and cosmetic problems. The patient was a 26-year-old woman in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, with generalized gingival hyperplasia affecting both buccal and lingual aspects of the maxilla and mandible. The hyperplastic tissues, together with mobile teeth, were excised completely; no recurrence was observed for the remainder of the pregnancy. Hormonal changes occurring during pregnancy have long been known to be associated with generalized gingival hyperplasia. Pregnancy does not cause the condition, but altered tissue metabolism in pregnancy accentuates the response to local irritants. This case was of clinical interest because of the extent of tissue proliferation, with the teeth in both the upper and lower jaw completely submerged.

The effects of bone chips dehydrated with solvent on healing bone defects

The effect of bone chips dehydrated with solvent on the healing of bone defects was evaluated. Solvent-dehydrated spongiose bone chips were placed in experimentally formed cavities in the right back tibia of rabbits. After 10, 20 and 30 days, histopathological cross-sections from the bone grafts were examined microscopically for bone healing and formation of spongiose bone, cortex and bone marrow. Spongiose bone chips had a positive and accelerating influence on the healing of bone defects in the 10-day period after transplantation, but no significant differences were observed between the treated and control groups 20 and 30 days after transplantation.

A case of a large dentigerous cyst containing a canine tooth in the maxillary antrum leading to epiphora

A case of a large dentigerous cyst containing a canine tooth in the maxillary antrum is presented. This case is of interest due because of its extensiveness and the presence of a canine tooth in the roof of the maxillary sinus. In addition, this caused a right-sided epiphora. Enucleation of the cyst containing the ectopic tooth was made.