Hideaki Nagura

Microangiographic and histologic evaluation of revascularization and healing after genioplasty by osteotomy of the inferior border of the mandible

Correlated microangiographic and histologic studies in adult rhesus monkeys indicate that a pedicled genioplasty involving osteotomy of the inferior mandibular border maintains circulation and osseous viability of the repositioned genial segment. Circulation to the dental pulps was also not discernibly affected when accomplished a minimum of 8 mm below the root apices.

IL‐1β Increases uPA and uPA Receptor Expression in Human Gingival Fibroblasts

The binding of urokinase‐type plasminogen activator (uPA) to its receptor (uPAR) in various cell types has been proposed as an important feature of many cellular processes requiring extracellular proteolysis, cell adhesion, motility, and invasion. uPAR attaches to the cell surface with a glycosylphophatidylinositol (GPI) anchor, and serves to localize and accelerate the proteolysis cascade. In this study, we examined both uPA and uPAR levels in human gingival fibroblasts treated with an inflammatory cytokine, interleukin‐1 β(IL‐1 β). PA activity in the cell lysate was increased by treatment with IL‐1 β. Further, PA activity released by phosphatidylinositol‐specific phospholipase C, which detaches the GPI anchor, was also increased by IL‐1 β. The activity was inhibited by amiloride, a specific inhibitor of uPA. In addition, IL‐1 βincreased the protein and mRNA levels of both uPA and uPAR in gingival fibroblasts. These findings suggest that the enhancement of uPA and uPAR levels by IL‐1 βmay play an important role in the progression of periodontal diseases through pericellular proteolysis, and subsequent cellular behavior.