Insulin-like growth factor-1 engaged in the mandibular condylar cartilage degeneration induced by experimental unilateral anterior crossbite

•Insulin like growth factor-1 is increased in the degenerative cartilage.•Insulin like growth factor-1 receptor is increased in degenerative cartilage.•Insulin like growth factor binding protein-3 is dual in degenerative cartilage.•Insulin like growth factor binding protein-5 is increased in degenerative cartilage.•Occlusion stimulates insulin like growth factor-1 expression in jaw joint cartilage. To investigate the changes in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) expression levels in the degenerative mandibular condylar cartilage. Thirty-six rats were divided into the unilateral anterior crossbite and control groups. The expression levels of IGF-1; IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R); IGF-binding protein-3 and -5 (IGFBP-3 and -5); proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA); aggrecan; type-I, -II, -VI, and -X collagen; tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 and -3 (TIMP-1 and -3); metalloproteinases of matrix metalloproteinases-3 and-13 (MMP-3 and -13); a disintegrin and metalloproteinase thrombospondin-4 and -5 (ADAMTS-4 and -5); alkaline phosphatase (ALP); β-glucuronidase; and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase in the mandibular condylar cartilage were assessed. The protein expression levels of IGF-1and IGF-1R were increased from week 4 in the unilateral anterior crossbite group. The mRNA expression level of IGFBP-3 and -5 was upregulated from week 4 and week 2, respectively; that of IGFBP-3 was downregulated at week 8; and that of PCNA, type-II collagen, type-X collagen, aggrecan, TIMP-1, and TIMP-3 was downregulated, whereas that of MMP-3, MMP-13, ADAMTS-4, ADAMTS-5, β-glucuronidase, and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase were upregulated from week 2. The positive area size of type-I collagen was increased and that of type VI collagen was decreased from week 2. The positive area size of type X collagen was increased at week 2 but decreased at week 8. The percentage of ALP-positive cells was increased from week 4. Unilateral anterior crossbite stimulated the multifarious expression of IGF-1 and IGFBP, which may be linked to chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation in the mandibular condylar cartilage that showed progressive degeneration.