title: Endogenous opioids regulate alveolar bone loss in a periodontal disease model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The anti-inflammatory effects of exogenous opioid compounds have been demonstrated in several conditions. Nevertheless, the function of endogenous opioid peptides released by the host during inflammatory processes deserves further characterization. The aim of this study was to verify whether endogenous opioids are involved in the progression of the inflammatory alveolar bone loss induced by ligature in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental model of periodontal disease (PD) induced by ligature in rats was used throughout the study. A silk ligature was placed around the 2nd upper molar of male Holtzman rats, for 7 days. Rats received different doses of either the non-selective opioid antagonist naloxone or vehicle, locally into the afflicted gingival tissue, from the 3rd to the 5th day after ligature placement. In the 7th experimental day, rats were euthanized and their maxillae were collected for evaluation of alveolar bone and fiber attachment loss, presence of neutrophils (myeloperoxidase assay), osteoclast amount, and levels of cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8 and IL-10 in periodontal tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Naloxone increased alveolar bone loss significantly, in a dose-dependent manner, in relation to vehicle-treated rats. In contrast, the opioid antagonist did not affect the loss of fiber attachment. The treatment with naloxone also induced a significant increase in myeloperoxidase levels, osteoclast number and cytokines in periodontal tissues of rats with ligature-induced PD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endogenous opioids protect the host from the progression of inflammatory alveolar bone loss that occurs in chronic periodontitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Surgery and Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil.
authors.forename: Celso M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Queiroz-Junior
authors.forename: Kátia L M
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Maltos
authors.forename: Daniela F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Pacheco
authors.forename: Tarcília Aparecida
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Juliano D S
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Albergaria
authors.forename: Cinthia M F
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pacheco
mesh_terms: D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005881:Gingiva / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008439:Maxillary Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000502:physiology*; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D009270:Naloxone
keywords: Bone loss; Cytokines; Opioids; Periodontal disease