RANKL inhibition through osteoprotegerin blocks bone loss in experimental periodontitis

Prevention of alveolar bone destruction is a clinical challenge in periodontal disease treatment. The receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL) inhibitor osteoprotegerin (OPG) inhibits osteoclastogenesis and suppresses bone resorption.

To study the effects of RANKL inhibition on alveolar bone loss, an experimental ligature-induced model of periodontitis was used. A total of 32 rats were administered human OPG-Fc fusion protein (10 mg/kg) or vehicle by subcutaneous delivery twice weekly for 6 weeks. Negative or positive controls received no treatment or disease through vehicle delivery, respectively. Biopsies were harvested after 3 and 6 weeks, and mandibulae were evaluated by microcomputed tomography (microCT) and histology. Serum levels of human OPG-Fc and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b (TRAP-5b) were measured throughout the study by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analyses included analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey tests.

Human OPG-Fc was detected in the sera of OPG-Fc-treated animals by 3 days and throughout the study. Serum TRAP-5b was sharply decreased by OPG-Fc treatment soon after OPG-Fc delivery and remained low for the observation period. Significant preservation of alveolar bone volume was observed among OPG-Fc-treated animals compared to the controls at weeks 3 and 6 (P <0.05). Descriptive histology revealed that OPG-Fc significantly suppressed osteoclast surface area at the alveolar crest.

Systemic delivery of OPG-Fc inhibits alveolar bone resorption in experimental periodontitis, suggesting that RANKL inhibition may represent an important therapeutic strategy for the prevention of progressive alveolar bone loss.