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RANKL and cathepsin K in diffuse sclerosing osteomyelitis of the mandible
Author(s) -
Montonen M.,
Li TF.,
Lukinmaa PL.,
Sakai E.,
Hukkanen M.,
Sukura A.,
Konttinen Y.T.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0714.2006.00454.x
Subject(s) - rankl , cathepsin k , osteoclast , bone resorption , cathepsin , pathology , resorption , medicine , giant cell , chemistry , activator (genetics) , receptor , biochemistry , enzyme
Background: Diffuse sclerosing osteomyelitis (DSO) of the mandible is characterized by mixed bone resorption and formation. Methods: Immunohistopathology of DSO in the clinically acute and subacute phases was compared with healthy bone. Results: Receptor activator of nuclear factor κ B ligand (RANKL) was found in DSO lesions. When it was used in vitro to stimulate monocytes, cathepsin K expression was observed in mononuclear prefusion precursors and in multinuclear giant cells. Similarly, exacerbations of DSO were characterized by RANKL and induction of cathepsin K in mononuclear precursor cells, which subsequently seem to differentiate into osteoclasts or foreign body giant cells. The proportion of bone to soft tissue increased with the duration of disease. Conclusions: RANKL‐driven osteoclastogenesis and acidic cysteine endoproteinase cathepsin K seem to play important roles in DSO as osteoclast‐mediated bone resorption may represent the primary disease process later followed by new bone formation.