Expression of matrix metalloproteinases-8 and -9 and their tissue inhibitor in the condyles of diabetic rats with mandibular advancement

Effects of nutrition and hormones on functional appliance treatment outcome in patients with skeletal Class II malocclusion

BACKGROUND

Functional appliances has been used for treatment of skeletal Class II malocclusion for a long time; however, the real skeletal effects, mandibular growth particularly, remain insufficient. Several auxiliary approaches have been attempted with the hope of enhancing treatment effects. In this review, we summarize and discuss the use of additional nutrition and hormones to assist the functional appliance treatment on patients with skeletal Class II malocclusion.

METHODS

Relevant articles were identified by electronic research in MEDLINE Ovid using keywords such as "nutrition," "hormone," "functional appliance," "orthodontics," "maxillofacial development," and "maxillofacial abnormalities." References of related articles were assessed for relevant studies to identify additional published references.

RESULTS

The literature search yielded 239 studies. According to the current literature, use of additional nutrition and hormones, including growth hormones, sex hormones, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor I, seem to improve the effects of functional appliance treatment on patients with skeletal Class II malocclusion.

CONCLUSIONS

The current evidence indicates that additional nutrition or hormones might improve the treatment effects on mandibular hypoplasia compared with the functional appliance alone, which is a promising approach and calls for further studies.

Smad3 mutant mice develop colon cancer with overexpression of COX-2

Colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-associated mortality in human populations. The aim of the present study was to identify the role of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in Smad3 mutant mice, which are known to develop colon cancer. Homozygous Smad3 (-/-) mutant mice were generated from inbred and hybrid Smad3 mouse strains by intercrossing the appropriate heterozygotes. Immunohistochemistry with COX-2 antibody was performed throughout this experiment and the data was validated and cross-checked with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Homozygous mutant Smad3 mice were generated and the overexpression pattern of COX-2 was identified by immunohistochemistry and validated with RT-PCR. The results of the present study demonstrated a link between the Smad3 mutant mice, colon cancer and COX-2. In addition, the overexpression pattern of COX-2 in Smad3 mutant mice that develop colon cancer was identified.