Bone resorption activity of ameloblastoma

Abstract

Ameloblastomas were cultured to investigate their possible involvement in bone resorption. Bone resorption assays of calcium release from new bone mouse calvariae, osteoclast formation from bone marrow cultures and chemotaxis of mouse peritoneal macrophages were examined in four tumor cases. Conditioned tumor media demonstrated enhanced calcium release, while homogenates of the tumors themselves did not have a significant effect on calcium release. Some tumors increased the number of osteoclasts, while others activated the chemotaxis of macrophages. Conditioned media of monocytes and lymphocytes stimulated by some tumors enhanced bone resorption. These results suggest that ameloblastomas release soluble factors during their growth which directly and indirectly promote osteoclast recruitment and differentiation.