Histological and histochemical effects after occlusion alteration in suprahyoid muscles

Vidarabine, an anti-herpes agent, prevents occlusal-disharmony-induced cardiac dysfunction in mice

We recently reported a positive relationship between occlusal disharmony and cardiovascular disease via activation of β-adrenergic signaling in mice. Furthermore, inhibition of type 5 adenylyl cyclase (AC5), a major cardiac subtype in adults, protects the heart against oxidative stress. Here, we examined the role of AC5 in the development of occlusal-disharmony-induced cardiovascular disease in bite-opening (BO) mice, prepared by cementing a suitable appliance onto the mandibular incisor. We first examined the effects of BO treatment on cardiac function in mice treated or not treated for 2 weeks with vidarabine, which we previously identified as an inhibitor of cardiac AC. Cardiac function was significantly decreased in the BO group compared to the control group, but vidarabine ameliorated the dysfunction. Cardiac fibrosis, myocyte apoptosis and myocyte oxidative DNA damage were significantly increased in the BO group, but vidarabine blocked these changes. The BO-induced cardiac dysfunction was associated with increased phospholamban phosphorylation at threonine-17 and serine-16, as well as increased activation of the Ca2+-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II/receptor-interacting protein 3 signaling pathway. These data suggest that AC5 inhibition with vidarabine might be a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of cardiovascular disease associated with occlusal disharmony.

Endurance measurement of hyoid muscle activity and hyoid-laryngeal position during tongue lift movement

BACKGROUND

Tongue lift movement (TLM) is used as a therapy to improve tongue pressure against the hard palate for dysphagic patients.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to characterize the time-dependent endurance changes in hyoid muscle activity and hyoid-laryngeal displacement during TLM in different ways.

METHODS

Sixteen young healthy volunteers were instructed to perform TLM at maximum effort (100%) against the anterior and posterior parts of the hard palate using a balloon-type tongue pressure instrument, followed by a 10-second recording during anterior 80% TLM, anterior 100% TLM, posterior 80% TLM and posterior 100% TLM with visual feedback. Electromyography (EMG) of suprahyoid (S-Hyo) and infrahyoid (I-Hyo) muscles and videofluorography were simultaneously recorded. To evaluate temporal changes, the recording period was divided into three substages: early, middle and late. Tongue pressure, integrated EMG (iEMG), power frequency of EMG burst and hyoid-laryngeal position were compared among the conditions (80% vs 100%, anterior vs posterior and early vs middle vs late).

RESULTS

Tongue pressure was stably maintained for 10 seconds in all conditions. S-Hyo iEMG and I-Hyo iEMG were significantly greater at 100% than at 80%, while no significant difference was observed between positions. S-Hyo iEMG and I-Hyo iEMG significantly increased at the late stage, while power frequency of EMG burst gradually decreased. Significant temporal changes in laryngeal elevation were observed only in posterior 100% TLM.

CONCLUSION

The current results suggested that isometric posterior TLM may be more useful compared with anterior TLM in clinical situations for dysphagic patients to elevate the hyolaryngeal complex.

Metabolic and vascular pattern in medial pterygoid muscle is altered by chronic stress in an animal model of hypodontia

Psychological stress is an important perpetuating, worsening and risk factor for temporomandibular disorders of muscular or articular origin. Occlusion instability, by the way, is considered a risk factor of this pathology and can be reproduced in some experimental animal models. The exact physiologic mechanism underlying these relations however, remains unclear. Our purpose was to test the hypothesis that chronic stress and unilateral exodontia induce metabolic and vascular changes in the medial pterygoid muscle of rats. Adult Wistar rats were submitted to chronic unpredictable stress and/or unilateral exodontia and their plasma and medial pterygoid muscle were removed for analysis. The parameters evaluated included plasma levels of corticosterone, metabolic activity by succinate dehydrogenase, oxidative capacity by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide diaphorase, capillary density by laminin and alfa-CD staining and reactive oxidative species production. Chronic unpredictable stress as an isolated factor, increased oxidative metabolism, capillary density and reactive oxygen species production at medial pterygoid muscle. Conversely, exodontia has a main effect in metabolism, promoting glycolytic transformation of muscle fibers. Association of both factors induced a major glycolytic pattern in muscle and vascular changes. Our findings provide insights into the mechanisms, possibly inducing metabolic and vascular alterations on medial pterygoid muscle of rats, by which chronic stress and occlusal instabilities might be involved as risk factors in the pathophysiology of temporomandibular disorders with muscular components.

Histological, histochemical, and protein changes after induced malocclusion by occlusion alteration of Wistar rats

Although disorders of the stomatognathic system are common, the mechanisms involved are unknown. Our objective was to study the changes in the masseter muscles after unilateral exodontia. Molar extraction was performed on Wistar rats (left side), and the animals were sacrificed after either 14 or 26 days. The masseter muscle was processed for histological analysis, conventional and in situ zymography, and immunohistochemistry. The morphological analysis showed unique and specific characteristics for the experimental group. By conventional zymography no significant values of 72 kDa MMP-2 (P < 0.05) were found in both of the sides of masseter muscle after 14 and 26 days of unilateral extraction. The in situ zymography showed gelatinolytic activity on all deep masseter muscles, with significant increase on the contralateral side after 14 and 26 days (P < 0.05). The immunohistochemistry demonstrated greater expression of MMP-2 than MMP-9 and MMP-14 in all masseter muscles and there were few differences in the staining of 4 TIMPs. This knowledge about morphology and molecular masticatory muscle remodeling following environmental interventions can be used to develop clinically successful treatments.

Fine structure of myotendinous junction between the anterior belly of the digastric muscle and intermediate tendon in adults rats

This study analyzed the ultrastructural characteristics of the myotendinous junction (MTJ) between anterior belly of digastrics muscle and the intermediate tendon in adult rats. Six male Wistar rats were used and were anesthetized with an overdose of urethane and sacrificed by intracardiac perfusion with modified Karnovsky solution, postfixed in 1% osmium tetroxide, dehydrated in increasing series of alcohols and embedded in Spurr resin for transmission electron microscopic analysis. Ultrastructural analysis showed conical shape of the fiber extremity in MTJ region, highlighting the presence of numerous mitochondria arranged in groups in the subsarcolemmal and intermyofibrillary regions. Atypical MTJ characteristics were seen interspersed with bundles of collagen fibers. Classic characteristics such as finger-like processes by means of sarcoplasmic projections were observed among interdigitations. Terminals and periphericals bundles of myofibrils showed close relationship with the adjacent muscle fiber's endomysium through lateral junctions. In the distal portion, it was observed that the communication region of microtendons forming the intermediate tendon of digastric muscle, and it can highlight the columns disposition of tenocytes. In conclusion, the MTJ ultrastructure between the anterior belly of digastric muscle and intermediate tendon of adult rats showed classical morphologic descriptions and presented an atypical region revealed by the subspecialization between the myofibrils bundles and collagen fibers in the MTJ region.