The effect of peripheral dopamine on fracture healing: an experimental study in a rat model
Abstract Background Dopamine is a versatile biomolecule that functions as a neurotransmitter, hormone, and immune modulator in the body. Although some anabolic effects of dopamine on bone tissue have been described in the literature, its influence on the complex processes involved in fracture healin...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-025-06136-w |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849763997176299520 |
|---|---|
| author | Mücahid Osman Yücel Raşit Emin Dalaslan Sönmez Sağlam Mehmet Arıcan Zekeriya Okan Karaduman Banu Turhan Fatih Demir |
| author_facet | Mücahid Osman Yücel Raşit Emin Dalaslan Sönmez Sağlam Mehmet Arıcan Zekeriya Okan Karaduman Banu Turhan Fatih Demir |
| author_sort | Mücahid Osman Yücel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Dopamine is a versatile biomolecule that functions as a neurotransmitter, hormone, and immune modulator in the body. Although some anabolic effects of dopamine on bone tissue have been described in the literature, its influence on the complex processes involved in fracture healing remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dopamine on bone healing at the peripheral level. Methods Thirty-six male Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to two groups: a control group with no treatment and a dopamine group that received 12 mg/kg levodopa twice daily via oral gavage following surgery. A standardized femoral fracture was induced under anesthesia in all the rats, which were then fixed with an intramedullary Kirschner wire. Each group consisted of 18 rats, and six rats from each group were randomly sacrificed on postoperative days 15, 30, and 45. The harvested femurs were first evaluated radiologically, followed by biomechanical analysis via a three-point bending test, and finally subjected to histopathological examination. Results No significant differences were observed between the groups on days 15 and 30. However, on day 45, histopathological scores were significantly lower in the dopamine group (p = 0.015), and biomechanical strength was also lower (p = 0.004). Radiological scores were not significantly different between the groups at any time point. Conclusion Despite the known anabolic effects of dopamine on bone cells, it may adversely affect fracture healing. The negative impact of dopamine on bone union could be attributed to the multifactorial and complex nature of fracture healing, the dynamics of inflammatory processes, and the cumulative effects of various dopamine receptor subtypes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b9348db27f4b4ba6a3a83a532f2dea67 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1749-799X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-b9348db27f4b4ba6a3a83a532f2dea672025-08-20T03:05:15ZengBMCJournal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research1749-799X2025-07-0120111010.1186/s13018-025-06136-wThe effect of peripheral dopamine on fracture healing: an experimental study in a rat modelMücahid Osman Yücel0Raşit Emin Dalaslan1Sönmez Sağlam2Mehmet Arıcan3Zekeriya Okan Karaduman4Banu Turhan5Fatih Demir6Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Duzce UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Duzce UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Duzce UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Duzce UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Duzce UniversityDepartment of Pediatric Endocrinology, Health Ministry of Türkiye Republic, Ankara Sanatoryum Education and Research HospitalFaculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Düzce UniversityAbstract Background Dopamine is a versatile biomolecule that functions as a neurotransmitter, hormone, and immune modulator in the body. Although some anabolic effects of dopamine on bone tissue have been described in the literature, its influence on the complex processes involved in fracture healing remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dopamine on bone healing at the peripheral level. Methods Thirty-six male Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to two groups: a control group with no treatment and a dopamine group that received 12 mg/kg levodopa twice daily via oral gavage following surgery. A standardized femoral fracture was induced under anesthesia in all the rats, which were then fixed with an intramedullary Kirschner wire. Each group consisted of 18 rats, and six rats from each group were randomly sacrificed on postoperative days 15, 30, and 45. The harvested femurs were first evaluated radiologically, followed by biomechanical analysis via a three-point bending test, and finally subjected to histopathological examination. Results No significant differences were observed between the groups on days 15 and 30. However, on day 45, histopathological scores were significantly lower in the dopamine group (p = 0.015), and biomechanical strength was also lower (p = 0.004). Radiological scores were not significantly different between the groups at any time point. Conclusion Despite the known anabolic effects of dopamine on bone cells, it may adversely affect fracture healing. The negative impact of dopamine on bone union could be attributed to the multifactorial and complex nature of fracture healing, the dynamics of inflammatory processes, and the cumulative effects of various dopamine receptor subtypes.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-025-06136-wFracture healingDopamineLevodopaBone regenerationAnimal models |
| spellingShingle | Mücahid Osman Yücel Raşit Emin Dalaslan Sönmez Sağlam Mehmet Arıcan Zekeriya Okan Karaduman Banu Turhan Fatih Demir The effect of peripheral dopamine on fracture healing: an experimental study in a rat model Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research Fracture healing Dopamine Levodopa Bone regeneration Animal models |
| title | The effect of peripheral dopamine on fracture healing: an experimental study in a rat model |
| title_full | The effect of peripheral dopamine on fracture healing: an experimental study in a rat model |
| title_fullStr | The effect of peripheral dopamine on fracture healing: an experimental study in a rat model |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of peripheral dopamine on fracture healing: an experimental study in a rat model |
| title_short | The effect of peripheral dopamine on fracture healing: an experimental study in a rat model |
| title_sort | effect of peripheral dopamine on fracture healing an experimental study in a rat model |
| topic | Fracture healing Dopamine Levodopa Bone regeneration Animal models |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-025-06136-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mucahidosmanyucel theeffectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT rasitemindalaslan theeffectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT sonmezsaglam theeffectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT mehmetarıcan theeffectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT zekeriyaokankaraduman theeffectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT banuturhan theeffectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT fatihdemir theeffectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT mucahidosmanyucel effectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT rasitemindalaslan effectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT sonmezsaglam effectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT mehmetarıcan effectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT zekeriyaokankaraduman effectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT banuturhan effectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel AT fatihdemir effectofperipheraldopamineonfracturehealinganexperimentalstudyinaratmodel |