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Systemic Administration of Lithium Improves Distracted Bone Regeneration in Rats

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Abstract

Lithium, popular in psychology field, has been recognized as an activator component of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. The effect of lithium on osteogenesis or on the human fracture risk has been widely reported. However, little is known on its role in distraction osteogenesis to date. In this study, the effect of systematic administrated lithium on distraction osteogenesis in a rat model was investigated. The osteotomy was performed on the right tibia in 40 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Then they were randomly assigned into two equal groups (n = 20/group), which underwent Lithium or saline treatment through gastric gavage until the day they were killed. One week after the osteotomy, the tibias were distracted for 14 days (rate 0.6 mm/day). Following 8 weeks consolidation period, the distracted tibias in both groups were harvested and examined by X-ray plain radiography, histology, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, Micro-CT, and biomechanical tests. The results showed that lithium group possessed higher bone mineral density, more mature new bone tissue, and better regenerated bone mass continuity in the distraction gaps without any local or systemic adverse effects was encountered. This study suggested lithium could increase bony callus ossification volume and accelerate distracted tissue mineralization to facilitate bone regeneration in distraction gap.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.81271106).

Conflict of interest

Xuemei Wang, Songsong Zhu, Xiaowen Jiang, Donghui Song, Yunfeng Li, and Jing Hu have declared that no conflict of interest exists.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of Sichuan University Animal Care and Use Committee guidelines.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China

    Xuemei Wang, Songsong Zhu, Xiaowen Jiang, Yunfeng Li, Donghui Song & Jing Hu

  2. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Jinan Stomatological Hospital, Jinan, 250001, China

    Xuemei Wang

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  1. Xuemei Wang
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  2. Songsong Zhu
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  3. Xiaowen Jiang
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Correspondence to Jing Hu.

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Wang, X., Zhu, S., Jiang, X. et al. Systemic Administration of Lithium Improves Distracted Bone Regeneration in Rats. Calcif Tissue Int 96, 534–540 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-015-0004-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-015-0004-7

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