Bone
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Current therapies for treating skeletal pain have significant limitations as available drugs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opiates) have significant unwanted side effects. Targeting nerve growth factor (NGF) or its cognate receptor tropomysin receptor kinase A (TrkA) has recently become an attractive target for inhibition of adult skeletal pain. Here we explore whether sustained administration of a selective small molecule Trk inhibitor that blocks TrkA, TrkB and TrkC kinase activity with nanomolar affinity reduces skeletal pain while allowing the maintenance of sensory and sympathetic neurons in the adult mouse. ⋯ Following administration of the Trk inhibitor for 7 weeks, there was no significant decline in the density of unmyelinated or myelinated sensory nerve fibers, sympathetic nerve fibers, measures of acute thermal pain, acute mechanical pain, or general neuromuscular function. The present results suggest that sustained administration of a peripherally selective TrkA, B and C inhibitor significantly reduces skeletal pain without having any obvious detrimental effects on adult sensory and sympathetic nerve fibers or early fracture healing. As with any potential therapeutic advance, understanding whether the benefits of Trk blockade are associated with any risks or unexpected effects will be required to fully appreciate the patient populations that may benefit from this therapeutic approach.
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Orthopedic joint prostheses may loosen because of localized bone resorption. Despite initial optimism, there are no reports showing that bisphosphonates can stop the progression of prosthetic loosening once it has begun. This might be due to the strong resorptive stimulus, which continuously recruits new osteoclasts. ⋯ Both alendronate doses reduced serum levels of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoform 5b to a similar extent, demonstrating that the lower dose was able to reduce resorption in the normally remodeling skeleton, although not in the osteolytic lesions caused by instability. Osteoclast numbers in the lesion were increased by the lower bisphosphonate dose and reduced by OPG-Fc. The results suggest the possibility of targeting osteoclast recruitment via the RANKL system in patients with impending prosthetic loosening.