BONE DEVELOPMENT AND FRACTURE HEALING IS NORMAL IN MICE THAT HAVE A DEFECT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM

Abstract

Ectopic lymphatics form in bone and
promote bone destruction in diseases such as
Gorham-Stout disease, generalized lymphatic
anomaly, and kaposiform lymphangiomatosis.
However, the role lymphatics serve in normal
bone development and repair is poorly understood.
The objective of this study was to
characterize bone development and fracture
healing in mice that have a defect in the
development of the lymphatic vasculature. We
found that bones in wild-type adult mice and
mouse embryos did not have lymphatics. We
also found that bone development was normal
in Vegfr3(Chy/Chy) embryos. These mice do not
have lymphatics and die shortly after birth. To
determine whether lymphatics serve a role in
postnatal bone development and fracture
healing, we analyzed bones from Vegfr3(wt/Chy)
mice. These mice are viable and have fewer
lymphatics than wild-type mice. We found that
postnatal bone development and fracture
healing was normal in Vegfr3(wt/Chy) mice. Taken
together, our results suggest that lymphatics do
not play a major role in normal bone
development or repair.