[Expression and significance of TGF-beta1 and BMP-2 in mandibular callus]
Objective:
To investigate the expressions of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in human mandible fracture callus and their quantity changes in the process of healing.
Method:
Thirty callus samples from the fractured mandible bone stumps were collected during operation, and two callus samples were collected from the angle-square jaw patients as controls. The expressions of TGF-beta1 and BMP-2 were test by the immunohistochemistry technic-SABC-staining in different periods of human fractured mandibular callus and in osseous tissue of normal angle of mandible.
Result:
The TGF-beta1 and BMP-2 were expressed in callus of different periods but not in normal bone tissue. The expression of TGF-beta1 increased slowly during the first three weeks after fracture and reached its maximum in the third week, and then weakened gradually. The expression of BMP-2 increased gradually during the first two weeks after fracture and reached its maximum in the second week, then the expression weakened gradually.
Conclusion:
(1) BMP-2 may be one of the factors promoting the repair of fracture. (2) TGF-beta1 could be another signal pathway in repairment of fracture. (3) There could exist some synergistic effects between TGF-beta1 and BMP-2 in the process of fracture healing.
