Oncologic doses of zoledronic acid induce osteonecrosis of the jaw-like lesions in rice rats (Oryzomys palustris) with periodontitis.

ABSTRACT: Though osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is temporally-associated with the use of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates (N-BPs), a cause-and-effect relationship has not yet been established. We hypothesize that ONJ is a two-stage process in which: (1) risk factors initiate pathologic processes in the oral cavity that lead to a supranormal rate of hard tissue necrosis; and (2) powerful antiresorptives reduce the rate of removal of necrotic bone sufficiently to allow its net accumulation in the jaw. To test this hypothesis, we used the rice rat model of periodontitis. At age 28 days, rats (n = 15/group) were placed on a high-sucrose and casein diet to exacerbate the development of periodontitis. Animals were injected subcutaneously (SC) biweekly with vehicle or alendronate (ALN, 15 µg/kg), or IV

SUBMITTER: Aguirre JI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3436957 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature