The Journal of Practical Medicine ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (14): 2588-2602.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-5725.2026.14.012

• Treatise:Mechanism and Practice • Previous Articles    

Study on the effect of local application of parathyroid hormone accelerating tooth movement in rats through PKA/TRPV4 pathway in synergy with orthodontic force

Yimin RAN1,Youli CHEN1,2,Xi ZENG1,Zhenglong TANG1,2()   

  1. 1.School of Stomatology,Guizhou Medical University,Guiyang 550004,Guizhou,China
    2.Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery,Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guizhou Medical University,Guiyang 550004,Guizhou,China
  • Received:2026-04-21 Online:2026-07-25 Published:2026-08-05
  • Contact: Zhenglong TANG E-mail:1985149363@qq.com

Abstract:

Objective To investigate whether the local application of parathyroid hormone (PTH) can activate the protein kinase A (PKA)/transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) pathway to synergistically accelerate orthodontic tooth movement in rats and to explore its mechanism of action. Methods Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: a blank control group, a pure orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) group, a pure PTH administration group (PTH group), and a combined orthodontic tooth movement and PTH administration group (OTM + PTH group). A left maxillary first molar orthodontic movement model was established in the rats. A constant traction force of 0.6 N was applied, and the corresponding drugs were injected locally every other day. On the 10th day after model establishment, the tooth movement distance, the bone density on the pressure side, the periodontal histopathological changes, and the expression levels of PKA, TRPV4, and the ratio of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) to osteoprotegerin (OPG) were measured. RAW264.7 cells were cultured in vitro and induced to differentiate into osteoclasts with 50 ng/mL RANKL. Subsequently, PTH and PKA/TRPV4 pathway agonists or inhibitors were added, and the expression of relevant molecules was detected. Results Compared with the OTM group, the tooth movement distance in the OTM + PTH group was significantly greater. The bone density on the pressure side decreased, the number of osteoclasts increased, and the levels of PKA, TRPV4, and the RANKL/OPG ratio were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05). In vitro experiments demonstrated that PKA or TRPV4 agonists could enhance the osteoclast-differentiation-promoting effect of PTH, whereas inhibitors could significantly impede this effect. Conclusions Local PTH treatment activates the PKA/TRPV4 signaling pathway, increases the RANKL/OPG ratio, and acts synergistically with orthodontic forces to promote osteoclast differentiation and activation. This enhances the efficiency of alveolar bone remodeling and consequently accelerates orthodontic tooth movement. This study offers a new theoretical foundation for optimizing clinical orthodontic treatment protocols.

Key words: parathyroid hormone, orthodontic tooth movement, protein kinase A, TRPV4, bone remodeling, osteoclast

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