Effects of aging on RANKL and OPG levels in gingival crevicular fluid during orthodontic tooth movement.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the levels of the receptor activator of NFkB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) during orthodontic tooth movement in juvenile and adult patients.


METHODS
Fifteen juveniles and 15 adults served as subjects. GCF was collected from the distal cervical margins of the experimental and control teeth at 0, 1, 24, and 168 h after application of a retracting force. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were used to determine RANKL and OPG levels in the GCF samples.


RESULTS
The amount of tooth movement for juveniles was larger than for adults after 168 h. Further, after 24 h RANKL levels were increased and those of OPG decreased in GCF samples from the compression side during orthodontic tooth movement in both juveniles and adults. The RANKL/OPG ratio in GCF from adult patients was lower than that in the juvenile patient samples.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the age-related decrease in amount of tooth movement may be related to a decrease in RANKL/OPG ratio in GCF during the early stages of orthodontic tooth movement.
Kawasaki
K
K
Department of Orthodontics, Nihon University School of Dentistry at Matsudo, Chiba, Japan.
Takahashi
T
T
Yamaguchi
M
M
Kasai
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D011312:Pressure; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000032:analysis*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014087:Tooth Movement Techniques; D047988:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C505686:TNFRSF11A protein, human; C506030:TNFRSF11B protein, human; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human; D047988:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Peptides and Proteins