α-Ketoglutarate promotes autophagic activity under a peri-implant condition to enhance osseointegration of dental implant in rats with osteoporosis

• Published in: Connective tissue research Vol. 66; no. 1; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Chen, Luyuan, Li, Qisen, Ma, Shengnan, Wang, Bohua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 2025
• Subjects: Animals; Autophagy - drug effects; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 - metabolism; Dental Implants; Ketoglutaric Acids - pharmacology; Male; Osseointegration - drug effects; Osteoporosis - drug therapy; Osteoporosis - metabolism; Osteoporosis - pathology; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; implant; osteoporosis; Autophagy; osseointegration; α-ketoglutarate
• ISSN: 0300-8207; 1607-8438; 1607-8438
• DOI: 10.1080/03008207.2024.2442675

We aimed to investigate whether α-ketoglutarate (AKG) can promote autophagic activity under a peri-implant condition to enhance the osseointegration of dental implant in rats with osteoporosis (OP). Con, Model and AKG groups were established for the random allocation of thirty rats (  = 10). Their bone metabolism indicators were measured. The peri-implant bone morphology was detected by toluidine blue staining, the peri-implant bone tissue healing was detected, and the implant torque was measured. In comparison to the Con group, the bone metabolism indicators [bone volume/tissue volume ratio (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), and osseointegration index (OI)], bone-implant contact (BIC) rate, bone mass in the cancellous area, dislocation torque, protein and mRNA expressions of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), RUNX2 and Beclin1, and LC3II/LC3I ratio in bone tissues decreased significantly in the Model group, with a significant enlargement of trabecular space (Tb.Sp) (  < 0.05). In comparison with the Model group, the AKG group had significant increases in Tb.N, BV/TV, OI, BIC rate, bone mass in the cancellous area, dislocation torque, mRNA plus protein expressions of BMP-2, Runt-related transcription factor 2 and Beclin1, and LC3II/light chain 3I ratio in bone tissues, in addition to a significant reduction of Tb.Sp (  < 0.05). AKG may relieve the bone metabolism disorders and enhance the osteogenic differentiation and osseointegration of implants in OP rats by promoting peri-implant autophagy.