Date of Award
2008
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Clinical Dentistry
Program
Orthodontics
Supervisor
Dr. S. Jeffrey Dixon
Abstract
During orthodontie tooth movement, mechanical loads applied to the tooth induce remodeling of the periodontal ligament (PDL) and alveolar bone. On the tension side, fibroblasts of the PDL are subjected to stretch, but little is known about how stretch is transduced into biological responses. Here, we used a reporter assay to quantify activity of the pro-inflammatory transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. Over 24 hours, cyclical mechanical stretch suppressed basal NF-κB activity. Interestingly,thiseffectwasmimickedbyextracellularATPoradenosine. Moreover,the effects of stretch and ATP were not additive, consistent with their acting through a common pathway. In contrast, stretch, ATP or adenosine did not significantly suppress NF-κB activity stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-a). Thus, on the tension side of the PDL, orthodontie forces may suppress NF-κB activity by inducing the release of ATP or adenosine, decreasing the transcription of inflammatory mediators by PDL fibroblasts.
Recommended Citation
Ng, Julia M., "Mechanical Stretching Suppresses NF-κB Activity in Fibroblasts" (2008). Digitized Theses. 4901.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/4901