BONE HEALING IN THE TIBIAE OF SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS: HISTOLOGICAL STUDY

• Grant number: 09/16336-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2010
• End date: December 31, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Poliana Mendes Duarte
• Grantee: Tiago Eduardo Dias Gonçalves
• Host Institution: Universidade de Guarulhos (UNG). Campus Guarulhos-Centro. Guarulhos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The hypothesis that hypertension may have a negative impact on bone density has been previously demonstrated by various clinical and animal studies. However, to date, there are few evidences in the literature about the influence of hypertension on bone healing. Therefore, the aim of the present study will be to evaluate the bone healing in the tibia of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) by histometric, histochemisty and immunohistochemistry analyses. A critical-size defect (3 mm in diameter) will be surgically created in the right tibia of SHR (n=15) and normotensive rats (NTR; n=15). Tirthy days later, the tibiae will be removed and the specimens will be histologically processed. The sections will be histometrically evaluated for the area of newly-formed bone within the defect (mm²). Some histological sections will be selected for the immunohistochemistry and histochemistry procedures to evaluate the number of positive cells for receptor activator of NF-B ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatese (TRAP) within the defect. The hypothesis that SHR present alterations in bone healing will be tested by Mann-Whitney or t Test, at a significance level of 5%.