What is it about?
Chronic inflammation in around teeth results in bone and tooth loss. Using a mouse model of inflammatory bone loss around teeth we have shown that, when activated to a pro-resolving phenotype, macrophages (a subset of innate immune cells) can resolve inflammation and stimulate bone formation through tissue clearing functions and synthesis of anabolic factors.
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Why is it important?
We demonstrated that macrophages activated to perform tissue clearing functions actively stimulate regeneration of bone lost due to inflammation. This work is important because it indicates that therapeutic activation of macrophages to perform anabolic functions can not only control inflammation but also regenerate tissues lost as a result of chronic inflammation.
Perspectives
I hope that this proof-of-concept study will lead to a greater appreciation of the therapeutic potential of macrophages in chronic inflammatory diseases that result in bone loss. As opposed to existing therapies that address inflammation through inhibition, I hope that our study encourages development of gain-of-function therapeutics for management of chronic inflammation.
Corneliu Sima
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Resolving Macrophages Counter Osteolysis by Anabolic Actions on Bone Cells, Journal of Dental Research, July 2018, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/0022034518777973.
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