Effects of anti-mouse RANKL antibody on orthodontic tooth movement in mice

Background/purpose: Orthodontic tooth movement is achieved by alveolar bone remodeling, and therefore the balance of bone resorption and formation is important. Receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) plays a crucial role in bone resorption. We previously reported that tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is also important in bone resorption during tooth movement. In this study, we focused on bone and root resorption during orthodontic tooth movement in mice using anti-mouse RANKL antibody (anti-mRANKL ab).

Materials and methods: Anti-mRANKL ab was administered intraperitoneally to mice that subsequently underwent orthodontic tooth movement. After 10 days, tissues around the moved teeth were histologically evaluated. To confirm the effects of anti-mRANKL ab on TNF-α induced bone resorption, TNF-α was administered with and without anti-mRANKL ab into the supracalvaria and the sutures of the calvaria were histologically evaluated.

Results: Orthodontic tooth movement was suppressed in mice treated with anti-mRANKL ab. Root resorption was observed after orthodontic tooth movement, but not in mice treated with anti-mRANKL ab. In the calvarial experiment, the number of TRAP-positive cells in the calvarial sutures was lower in mice administered TNF-α with anti-mRANKL ab than in mice administered TNF-α alone.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that anti-mRANKL ab suppressed orthodontic tooth movement. This needs to be considered when orthodontic tooth movement is required in patients using anti-RANKL antibody.