IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF OSTEOPONTIN EXPRESSION IN THE DISTRACTED BONE AFTER CANINE MANDIBULAR DISTRACTION OSTEOGENESIS

Purpose: This study was aimed at evaluating the histological changes of new bone and expression of osteopontin (OPN) after mandibular distraction osteogenesis. Materials and Methods: Unilateral mandibular distraction (0.5 mm twice per day for 10 days) was performed in eight adult dogs. Two animals were sacrificed at 7, 14, 28 and 56 days after completion of distraction, respectively. The distracted bones and contralateral non-distracted control bones were harvested and processed for histological and immunohistochemical examinations. Results: The new bone was arranged to tension direction after distraction osteogenesis. 7 days after distraction, numerous osteoblasts lining the immature trabecular bone and fibroblast-like cells in the fibrous intrezone were observed. 14 days after distraction, the new formed trabecular bones were thickened compared with 7 days after distraction. 28 days after distraction, the fibrous interzone was almost filled with newly calcified bone, and it was more hardened at 56 days after distraction. Increased OPN signals detected in the osteoblasts lining the trabecular bone and fibroblast-like cells in the fibrous interzone at 7 and 14 days after distraction. At 28 days after distraction, the OPN was weakly expressed in the osteoblasts, and it was not detected in all cellular components of distracted bone at 56 days later of distraction. Conclusions: After distraction osteogenesis, the distracted zone was completely calcified during the 56 days of consolidation period. In this study, the staining intensity of OPN increased in the osteoblasts and fibroblast-like cells at 7 and 14 days after distraction. The expression pattern of this protein shown here suggested that OPN play an important role in the osteogenesis during the early consolidation period.