SEMAPHORIN 4D in medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a severe side effect that can occur in patients taking medications often used for treating cancer and osteoporosis. MRONJ occurs when blood supply to a part of the bone is disrupted. This leads to a gradual destruction of bone in the jaw.

Semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D) is a protein that has various important functions in both the immune- and the nervous system. SEMA4D also plays a role in bone biology as it influences bone remodeling by interacting between immune and bone cells, specifically osteoclasts, the cells responsible for breaking down bone.

SEMAPHORIN 4D in medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw

In a recent study researchers investigated the clinical significance of circulating SEMA4D in the early diagnosis of MRONJ:

Clinical values of serum Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) in medication‑related osteonecrosis of the jaw. 

Semaphorin 4D can easily be measured in blood samples with an ELISA assay

Biomedica offers a high-quality test kit to measure soluble SEMA4D in human plasma samples

Semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D) ELISA Assay Highlights:

• • Only Sema4D ELISA assay that is fully validated
  • 10 µl / well sample volume – sample predilution is not required
  • Available reference values for healthy individuals

To see the protocol booklet for SEMA4D ELISA just click here

Related literature

 Clinical values of serum Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) in medication‑related osteonecrosis of the jaw. Mu H, Pang Y, Liu L, Liu J, Liu C. Eur J Med Res. 2023 Mar 30;28(1):140. doi: 10.1186/s40001-023-01095-6. PMID: 36998031; PMCID: PMC10061851.

Abstract

Background: Bisphosphonates (BPs) are widely used in clinical practice to prevent and treat bone metabolism-related diseases. Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is one of the major sequelae of BPs use. Early prediction and intervention of MRONJ are of great significance.

Methods: Ninety-seven patients currently on treatment with BPs or with a history of BPs usage and 45 healthy volunteers undergoing dentoalveolar surgery were included in this study. Participants’ serum Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) levels were measured and analyzed before participants underwent surgery (T0) and after a 12-month follow-up (T1). Kruskal-Wallis test and ROC analysis were used to examine the predictive effect of Sema4D on MRONJ.

Results: Sema4D levels in serum of patients corresponding to confirmed MRONJ were significantly lower at both T0 and T1 time points compared to non-MRONJ and healthy controls. Sema4D has a statistically predictive effect on the occurrence and diagnosis of MRONJ. Serum Sema4D levels were significantly reduced in MRONJ class 3 patients. MRONJ patients who received intravenous BPs had significantly lower Sema4D levels than those who received oral BPs.

Conclusion: Serum Sema4D level has predictive value for the onset of MRONJ in BPs users within 12 weeks after dentoalveolar surgery

Interventions for managing medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw. Beth-Tasdogan NH, Mayer B, Hussein H, Zolk O. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Oct 6;10(10):CD012432. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012432.pub2. Update in: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Jul 12;7:CD012432. PMID: 28983908; PMCID: PMC6485859.

Possible pathogenic engagement of soluble Semaphorin 4D produced by γδT cells in medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Movila A, Mawardi H, Nishimura K, Kiyama T, Egashira K, Kim JY, Villa A, Sasaki H, Woo SB, Kawai T. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2016 Nov 4;480(1):42-47. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2016.10.012. Epub 2016 Oct 5. PMID: 27720716.

 

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