Miglustat Suppresses Alveolar Bone Resorption in Mouse Models of Periodontitis

Abstract

Periodontitis is a common disease in adults, and its progression can cause alveolar bone resorption. Glycosphingolipids are related to bone metabolism, and miglustat, a glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) inhibitor involved in the formation of glycosphingolipids, suppresses alveolar bone resorption. In this study, the alveolar bone volume of periodontal tissues and the attachment level were evaluated. We used tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining to measure osteoclast number per bone surface (Oc.N/BS) and osteoclast surface per bone surface (Oc.S/BS). Additionally, we measured immunostaining scores and number of IL-1β- and TNF-α-positive cells in the periodontal ligament using immunostaining. Miglustat administration increased remaining alveolar bone volume and suppressed clinical attachment loss. Furthermore, osteoclast count and the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α in the periodontal tissues decreased. The results of this study indicate that miglustat may prevent periodontitis in mouse models.