Satellite cell capacity for functional adaptation of masseter muscle in Class II and Class III patients after orthognathic surgery—a pilot study

Abstract

Summary Aim The aim of the prospective pilot study was to analyze the biomarkers CD34, Pax7, Myf5, and MyoD for stimulation of satellite cells (SCs), which are responsible for functional adaptation. Subjects and Methods Forty-five Caucasian patients were consecutively recruited from the Maxillo-Facial-Surgery at TU Dresden. Eleven orthognathic Class III patients, 24 Class II patients, and 10 controls with Class I were involved in the study. Tissue samples from masseter muscle were taken from the patients pre-surgically (T1) and 7 months later (T2). Samples from controls were taken during the extraction of third molars in the mandible. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for relative quantification of gene expression was calculated with the delta delta cycle threshold (ΔΔCT) method. Results The results show significant differences for the marker of SC stimulation between the controls, the patient groups, males, and females. The gene expression of CD34 was post-surgically upregulated for Class III (0.35–0.77, standard deviation [SD] = 0.39, P < 0.05) in comparison with controls. For Pax7, there was a significant difference shown between the retrognathic and the prognathic group because of downregulation in Class II patients (1.64–0.76, SD = 0.55, P < 0.05). In Class III patients, there was a significant upregulation for Myf5 (0.56–1.05, SD = 0.52, P < 0.05) after surgery too. Conclusions The significant decline of Pax7 in Class II patients indicates a deficiency of stimulated SC post-surgically. The expression of CD34 and Myf5 in Class II stayed unchanged. In contrast, there was an upregulation for all Class III patients, mainly in females, shown post-surgically. This may be one reason for weak functional adaptation and relapse in Class II patients.