Expression of Mn‐SOD,iNOS and eNOS mRNAs in Osteoblasts from the Maxilla of Osteopetrotic Mice

Active oxygens and free radicals are involved in the metabolism and clinical conditions of tissues; however, little is known about the localisation and expression levels of associated enzymes. The expressions of active oxygens, free radicals and associated enzymes are reported to be site‐specific; therefore, the expression states of free radical enzymes differ between sites, even within the same cell. In particular, there has been no report concerning the catabolic enzymes of active oxygens in osteoblasts of the maxilla, other than normal osteoblasts that were weakly positive by immunohistochemical staining. We conducted this study to elucidate the relationship between osteodystrophy and radical‐associated enzymes by investigating mRNAs of enzymes associated with active oxygens and free radicals using osteoblasts from the maxilla of normal and osteopetrotic model (op/op) mice. In op/op mouse maxilla osteoblasts, mRNAs of Mn‐SOD, i‐NOS and e‐NOS were strongly positive. Mn‐SOD and iNOS enzymes were considered to be highly expressed in osteoblasts of the narrowed medullary cavity of this bone.