title: Effects of endothelin antagonist tezosentan on orthodontic tooth movement in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endothelin is a cytokine peptide present in the periodontal ligament in physiological conditions. Its concentration in the periodontal ligament doubles after 3 hours of axial loading of a tooth. The role of endothelin in orthodontic tooth movement has not yet been explained. We tried to determine the effect of tezosentan, a specific dual endothelin receptor antagonist, on orthodontic tooth movement in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one rats were divided into 3 groups (n = 7). In the tezosentan group, closed-coil springs were placed, and the animals were treated daily with tezosentan; in the coil-spring group, closed-coil springs were placed, and the animals were treated with an inert physiological solution. The appliance was placed between the maxillary left first molar and the incisor. The third group was the control group. On days 0, 7, 14, and 25, the distances between the maxillary molars and incisors were measured at the experimental and contralateral sides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Changes in measured distances at the experimental sides were significantly different between the tezosentan and the coil-spring groups on day 25 (P < .001), with the tezosentan group showing greater changes in the measured distances. There were no differences between the tezosentan and the coil-spring groups at the contralateral side. In the control group, the measured distance increased at both sides (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tezosentan, an endothelin dual antagonist, enhanced tooth movements in rats.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia. martina.drevensek@mf.uni-lj.si
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drevensek
authors.forename: Spela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sprogar
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Boras
authors.forename: Gorazd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Drevensek
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000502:physiology; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D016232:Endothelins / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010513:Periodontal Ligament / Q000737:chemistry; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014087:Tooth Movement Techniques; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D016232:Endothelins; D011725:Pyridines; D013777:Tetrazoles; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; C120582:tezosentan