Department of Orthodontics, School of Stomatology, The Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Affliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 49 Fuzhou Road, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi Province, China.
Department of Anesthesia, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 17 Yongwaizheng Street, Nanchang, 330006 Jiangxi Province, China.
Biomed Res Int. 2021 Oct 23;2021:4229491. doi: 10.1155/2021/4229491. eCollection 2021.
To explore the mechanism of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) in tooth movement pain.
The experimental groups were randomly allocated into the healthy control, sham operation, model, model+shCOMT experimental, model+shCOMT control, and model+COMT antagonist groups. A tooth movement pain model was established. The pain stimulation and behavior test were performed. The duration of grooming behavior was determined. The appropriate experimental force and duration for application were selected. COMT shRNA vector was constructed and packaged as adenovirus. The shCOMT adenovirus was injected into the left infraorbital foramen. Seven days later, the trigeminal ganglia of all treatment groups were obtained. The COMT and IL-17 expressions were detected by western blot. The appropriate COMT antagonist concentration was selected. The pathological results of each group were detected by HE staining. The tooth movement distance was determined. The COMT gene expression was detected by FISH. The COMT and IL-17 expressions in the right trigeminal ganglion tissue of each group were detected by western blot.
The 60 g force and 14-day duration required the lowest stimulus intensity, the duration of grooming behavior was the longest, and the effect on COMT and IL-17 was the most significant. In the model group, formation of digestive cavity was seen in the trigeminal ganglion tissue, with infiltration of inflammatory cells, upregulation of the COMT and IL-17 expressions, and significant increase in the tooth movement distance. Compared with the model group, the shCOMT experimental group and the COMT antagonist group significantly improved the trigeminal ganglion tissue injury, significantly decreased the tooth movement distance, and significantly inhibited the COMT and IL-17 expressions.
The efficiency of tooth movement can be influenced by interfering the COMT-related gene expression. This proves that the COMT system can regulate the orthodontic tooth movement pain.
探讨儿茶酚-O-甲基转移酶（COMT）在牙齿移动痛中的作用机制。
将实验动物随机分为健康对照组、假手术组、模型组、模型+shCOMT 实验组、模型+shCOMT 对照组和模型+COMT 拮抗剂组，建立牙齿移动痛模型，进行痛觉刺激和行为学检测，记录理毛行为持续时间，选择合适的实验力和作用时间；构建并包装 COMT shRNA 载体为腺病毒，将 shCOMT 腺病毒注入左侧眶下孔，7 天后获取各组三叉神经节，采用 Western blot 检测 COMT 和白介素 17（IL-17）的表达，选择合适的 COMT 拮抗剂浓度，HE 染色检测各组病理结果，测量牙齿移动距离，采用 FISH 检测 COMT 基因表达，Western blot 检测各组右侧三叉神经节组织 COMT 和 IL-17 的表达。
60g 力、14d 作用时间所需刺激强度最低，理毛行为持续时间最长，对 COMT 和 IL-17 的作用最显著；模型组三叉神经节组织可见消化腔形成，炎性细胞浸润，COMT 和 IL-17 表达上调，牙齿移动距离显著增加；与模型组比较，shCOMT 实验组和 COMT 拮抗剂组三叉神经节组织损伤明显改善，牙齿移动距离明显减小，COMT 和 IL-17 表达明显受到抑制。
通过干扰 COMT 相关基因表达可以影响牙齿移动效率，提示 COMT 系统可以调节正畸牙齿移动痛。
