Osseous wound repair under inhibition of the axis of advanced glycation end-products and the advanced glycation end-products receptor.

Background/purpose: Blockade of advanced glycation end-products (AGE) is able to reduce diabetic complications and control periodontitis. This study aimed to determine whether the application of aminoguanidine (AG), an AGE inhibitor, or N-phenacylthiazolium bromide (PTB), an AGE breaker, facilitates the healing of an osseous wound in non-diabetic animals.

Methods: 2.6 mm diameter full-thickness osseous wounds were created bilaterally in 54 healthy Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats received daily normal saline, AG, or PTB injections respectively and were euthanized after 7 days, 14 days, or 28 days (n = 6). The wound healing pattern was assessed by micro-computed tomography, histology, histochemistry for the fiber arrangement, and the gene expression levels of AGE receptor, tumor necrosis factor-α, type I collagen, and fibronectin.

Results: Under the AG and PTB administration, osteogenesis was apparently promoted in the early stages of healing, but the union of the osseous wound and the fibril re-arrangement was apparently retarded. No significant difference was found in any of the micro-computed tomography parameters as compared to the control in the first 14 days, whereas the relative bone volume was significantly higher in the control at Day 28. AGE receptor and tumor necrosis factor-α were depressed in the PTB group, but only temporarily at Day 14 in the AG group. Therefore, at Day 14, type I collagen was significantly upregulated in the PTB group, and fibronectin was significantly increased in the AG group.

Conclusion: Anti-AGE agents reduced inflammation but did not apparently facilitate osteogenesis during the osseous wound repair.