Project description:Bone and dentin share similar biochemical compositions and physiological properties. Dentin, a major tooth component, is formed by odontoblasts; in contrast, bone is produced by osteoblasts. Osterix (Osx), a zinc finger-containing transcription factor, has been identified as an essential regulator of osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. However, it has been difficult to establish whether Osx functions in odontoblast differentiation and dentin formation. To understand the role of Osx in dentin formation, we analyzed mice in which Osx was subjected to tissue-specific ablation under the control of either the Col1a1 or the OC promoter. Two independent Osx conditional knockout mice exhibited similar molar abnormalities. Although no phenotype was found in the crowns of these teeth, both mutant lines exhibited short molar roots due to impaired root elongation. Furthermore, the interradicular dentin in these mice showed severe hypoplastic features, which were likely caused by disruptions in odontoblast differentiation and dentin formation. These phenotypes were closely related to the temporospatial expression pattern of Osx during tooth development. These findings indicate that Osx is required for root formation by regulating odontoblast differentiation, maturation, and root elongation. Cumulatively, our data strongly indicate that Osx is a site-specific regulator in tooth root formation.
Project description:Tooth is made of crown and root. It is widely believed that dentin formation in crown and root uses the same regulatory mechanism. However, identification of nuclear factor 1?C (NFIC)'s unique function in determining root but not crown dentin formation challenges the old thinking. In searching for the target molecules downstream of NFIC, we unexpectedly found a sharp reduction of osterix (OSX), the key transcription factor in skeleton formation, in the Nfic knockout (Nfic-KO) tooth root. We then demonstrated a dose-dependent increase of Osx in the odontoblast cell line due to a transient transfection of Nfic expression plasmid. Studies of global and conditional Osx-KO mice revealed no apparent changes in the crown dentin tubules and dentin matrix. However, the OSX conditional KO (cKO) mice (crossed to the 2.3-kb collagen type 1 [Col1]-Cre) displayed an increase in cell proliferation but great decreases in expressions of root dentin matrix proteins (dentin matrix protein 1 [DMP1] and dentin sialophosphoprotein [DSPP]), leading to an inhibition in odontoblast differentiation, and short, thin root dentin with few dentin tubules. Compared to the Nfic-KO tooth, which contains essentially no dentin tubules and remains in a "root-less" status at adult stages, the Osx-cKO root phenotype had partially improved at the late stage, indicating that other factors can compensate for OSX function. Thus, we conclude that OSX, one of the key downstream molecules of NFIC, plays a critical role in root, but not crown, formation.
Project description:Dental root formation is a dynamic process in which mesenchymal cells migrate toward the site of the future root, differentiate and secrete dentin and cementum. However, the identities of dental mesenchymal progenitors are largely unknown. Here we show that cells expressing osterix are mesenchymal progenitors contributing to all relevant cell types during morphogenesis. The majority of cells expressing parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) are in the dental follicle and on the root surface, and deletion of its receptor (PPR) in these progenitors leads to failure of eruption and significantly truncated roots lacking periodontal ligaments. The PPR-deficient progenitors exhibit accelerated cementoblast differentiation with upregulation of nuclear factor I/C (Nfic). Deletion of histone deacetylase-4 (HDAC4) partially recapitulates the PPR deletion root phenotype. These findings indicate that PPR signalling in dental mesenchymal progenitors is essential for tooth root formation, underscoring importance of the PTHrP-PPR system during root morphogenesis and tooth eruption.
Project description:Tooth root formation begins after the completion of crown morphogenesis. At the end edge of the tooth crown, inner and outer enamel epithelia form Hertwig's epithelial root sheath (HERS). HERS extends along with dental follicular tissue for root formation. Ameloblastin (AMBN) is an enamel matrix protein secreted by ameloblasts and HERS derived cells. A number of enamel proteins are eliminated in root formation, except for AMBN. AMBN may be related to tooth root formation; however, its role in this process remains unclear. In this study, we found AMBN in the basal portion of HERS of lower first molar in mice, but not at the tip. We designed and synthesized small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting AMBN based on the mouse sequence. When AMBN siRNA was injected into a prospective mandibular first molar of postnatal day 10 mice, the root became shorter 10 days later. Furthermore, HERS in these mice revealed a multilayered appearance and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) positive cells increased in the outer layers. In vitro experiments, when cells were compared with and without transiently expressing AMBN mRNA, expression of growth suppressor genes such as p21(Cip1) and p27(Kip1) was enhanced without AMBN and BrdU incorporation increased. Thus, AMBN may regulate differentiation state of HERS derived cells. Moreover, our results suggest that the expression of AMBN in HERS functions as a trigger for normal root formation.
Project description:In Response To: Walker RH. Reply to: Tardive dyskinesia-like syndrome due to drugs that do not block dopamine receptors: rare or non-existent: literature review. Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov. 2019; 9. doi: 10.7916/3rez-p096 Original Article: D'Abreu A, Friedman JH. Tardive dyskinesia-like syndrome due to drugs that do not block dopamine receptors: rare or non-existent: literature review. Tremor Other Hyperkinet Mov. 2018; 8. doi: 10.7916/D8FF58Z9.