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It is well known that bone markers (e.g. osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase) play a significant role in healing of bone fractures, whereas oxidative stress delay such healing. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a mixture of antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E, and selenium) on oxidative stress parameters, and the levels of bone healing markers in the plasma of male patients following fixative surgery of long bones. Antioxidant tablets (300 µg vitamin A, 10 mg vitamin E, 60 mg vitamin C, and 75 µg selenium) were administered to groups 3 and 4 (10 patients in each) for 1 and 2 weeks, respectively, in addition to the regular postoperative treatment. Groups 1 (25 patients) and 2 (10 patients) received the regular post-operative treatment consisting of intravenous (I.V.) second generation of cephalosporin 1000 mg/day for 3 days, oral diclofenac 50 mg, and paracetamol 500 mg twice daily for 15 days. Osteocalcin level and alkaline phosphatase activity as well as antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), as well as glutathione (GSH), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) as indices of oxidative stress, were determined in the plasma of all patients after 1 or 2 weeks of long-bone fixative surgery. The results revealed that osteocalcin level and the activity of alkaline phosphatase were markedly increased in the plasma of patients who received antioxidants for 2 weeks. In addition, after 1 and/or 2 weeks, the levels of TBARS were significantly lower in the antioxidant-treated patients compared with those who did not receive antioxidants. On the other hand, the activities of SOD and GR were markedly elevated in plasma of patients who received antioxidants after 1 or 2 weeks compared with patients who received regular therapy. Moreover, the level of plasma GSH was markedly increased only after 2 weeks in patients who received antioxidants. It is concluded that administration of antioxidant vitamins A, E, and C in addition to selenium could accelerate bone healing after long-bone fixative surgery. Therefore, antioxidants should be considered in designing therapeutic protocols in post-operative bone surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymorphisms influencing the binding affinity between the Fcγ receptors and IgG of different subclasses are thought to be of importance in the individual susceptibility to infections with Gram-negative bacteria contributing to periodontal disease. One hundred and fifty-four Caucasian subjects were clinically and radiographically examined for their periodontal status and genotyped for their allelic pattern of Fcγ/Rlla, Fcγ/RIIla, and Fcγ/lllb polymorphism. In assessing periodontitis according to mean probing depth and attachment loss, no differences were found in allele frequencies or combined allotypes between the subjects with mild or moderate and those with severe signs of periodontitis. However, the extent and severity of bone loss were significantly associated with the genotype of the receptor Fcγ/RIIla. An increased risk of severe bone destruction was observed in individuals carrying the Fcγ/RIIla-VV genotype (OR = 5.3; 95% CI 1.4-26.2). Fcγ/RIIIb is in linkage disequilibrium with Fcγ/RIIla. Hence it is also related to periodontal disease. There is no indication of an association between the polymorphism of Fcγ/Rlla and periodontitis. The results are evidence that the Fcγ/RIIla genotype coding for the high affinity receptor imposes an additional risk of bone loss as does the Fcγ/RIIIb genotype coding for the low affinity receptor. Genes and Immunity (2001) 2, 258-262. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]