{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ScholarlyArticle","headline":"Mineral-targeted alkaline phosphatase improves bone graft-mediated alveolar bone defect healing in mice.","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Kedith Sawangsri"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Aonjittra Phanrungsuwan"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Binnaz Leblebicioglu"},{"@type":"Person","name":"José Luis Millán"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Brian L Foster"}],"datePublished":"2026","isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"Journal of periodontology"},"identifier":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jper.70061","description":"Abstract\n \n Background\n Alveolar bone loss challenges tooth retention and implant placement. Freeze‐dried bone allograft (FDBA) is widely used for alveolar ridge preservation but has limitations in resorption rate and healing time. In this proof‐of‐concept study, we tested whether pro‐mineralization enzyme, tissue‐nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) enhances bone healing.\n \n \n Methods\n \n Seven‐week‐old mice (\n n\n = 4‐6/group; equal numbers of males and females) underwent maxillary molar extraction and standardized alveolar defect creation. Mice were assigned to sham, FDBA with saline (BGS) or FDBA with mineral‐targeted TNAP‐Fc‐D\n 10\n (BGT). Healing was assessed using microcomputed tomography (micro‐CT), serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, histology, and immunohistochemistry, between 14‐ and 60‐days post‐procedure (dpp). Intergroup comparisons were analyzed by one‐way ANOVA and post‐hoc Tukey test (\n α = 0.05)\n \n \n \n Results\n \n At 14 dpp, the BGT group demonstrated significantly greater bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and bone mineral density (BMD) compared with BGS (\n p\n < 0.01,\n p\n < 0.05) and sham groups (\n p\n < 0.001). Alveolar bone volume was greater than sham (\n p\n < 0.001). Alveolar bone dimension (height and width) was significantly more stable in the BGT group (\n p\n < 0.05). Although BV/TV at 60 dpp showed no significant differences, BGT maintained higher BMD and alveolar bone width stability (\n p\n < 0.01). Histological and immunohistochemical analyses revealed increased new bone formation and greater bone marker expression in the short‐term BGT group (\n p\n < 0.05). No changes in serum ALP levels were detected.\n \n \n \n Conclusions\n \n TNAP‐Fc‐D\n 10\n with FDBA significantly enhances early alveolar bone healing and dimensional stability. While long‐term volumetric gains were not observed, sustained improvements in mineral density and ridge preservation support TNAP as a promising biologic for alveolar ridge preservation.\n \n \n \n Plain language summary\n \n When people lose teeth, keeping enough bone in the jaw is critical for future treatments like dental implants. A common material used to rebuild bone is called freeze‐dried bone allograft (FDBA), but it does not always heal quickly or completely. In this study, we tested whether adding a special enzyme called TNAP, which helps build bones naturally, could make FDBA work better. After extracting teeth and creating bone defects in mice, we compared healing between three groups: control (sham), FDBA + saline, and FDBA + engineered TNAP‐Fc‐D\n 10\n . After 2 weeks, the group that received FDBA+TNAP‐Fc‐D\n 10\n showed more new bone formation and better preservation of the size of the jawbone. Even after 2 months, their bone remained denser and more stable compared with the other groups. Importantly, we found no signs of unwanted side effects in the blood. These results suggest that adding TNAP‐Fc‐D\n 10 \n could make bone grafts more effective early on, helping preserve jaw structure better over time. More research is needed to fine‐tune the treatment and see how well it works in humans.\n \n ","url":"https://innscience.ca/es/community/literature/doi_10_1002_jper_70061"}