Mandibular Alteration of Growing Rats Injected with Argireline^®

Methods: Twenty 3-week-old male Wister rats, a control group and an experimental group were divided into 10 rats each. For the control group, 1% atelocollagen was injected 0.1ml in the left masseter surface 3 times at one week intervals until 6 weeks old. For the experimental group, 1% atelocollagen including Argireline^® 7mg/m1 was injected under the same conditions. At 3 and 6 weeks old, identical subjects were photographed using micro CT equipment under the following conditions: tube ray voltage 90kV, tube current 50µA, slice width 50µm and magnification of 2.0. The images taken were structured in 3D by three-dimensional construction software. These structures were converted into surface images by three-dimensional measurement software. Mandibular growth alteration measurements were perpendicular/horizontal distance, its front/back angle measurements and also the amount of molar extrusion.

Results: In the control group, based on all measurements, no significant bilateral variation could be confirmed. In the experimental group, significant dilation of the mandible was suggested by an increase in the horizontal distance of the injection side, a decrease in the perpendicular distance, and confirmed significance in angle measurements of the maxillomandibular molar's extrusion.

Conclusions: Based on Argireline^® controlled reduction of muscle contraction, the mandible shape and angle were affected, as well as horizontal and perpendicular growth. Therefore, the possibility of growth control using Argireline^® was suggested by the asymmetry of the mandible.