• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.423-430
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• 2005

Ameloblasts are responsible for the formation and maintenance of enamel which is an epithelially derived protective covering for teeth. Ameloblast differentiation is controlled by sequential epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. However, little is known about the differentiation and maturation mechanisms. OD314 was firstly identified from odontoblasts by subtraction between odontoblast/pulp cells and osteoblast/dental papilla cells, even though OD314 protein was also expressed in ameloblast during tooth formation. In this study, to better understand the biological function of OD314 during amelogenesis, we examined expression of the OD314 mRNA and protein in various stages of ameloblast differentiation using in-situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. The results were as follows : 1. The ameloblast showed 4 main morphological and functional stages referred to as the presecretory, secretory, smooth-ended, and ruffle-ended. 2. OD314 mRNA was expressed in secretory ameloblast and increased according to the maturation of the cells. 3. OD314 protein was not expressed in presecretory ameloblast but expressed in secretory ameloblast and maturative ameloblast. OD314 protein was distributed in entire cytoplasm of secretory ameloblast. However, OD314 was localized at the proxiamal and distal portion of the cytoplasm of smooth-ended and ruffle-ended ameloblast. These results suggest that OD314 may play important roles in the ameloblast differentiation and maturation.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the biological function of ODAM and its signal transduction pathway in the steps of ameloblast differentiation and enamel mineralization. An ODAM recombinant protein was produced and stable ODAM transgenic cell lines were also established using ameloblast-lineage cells (ALCs). To verify the ODAM signal transduction pathway, BAMBI recombinant protein, an inhibitor of BMP2 and BMP receptor 1B (BMPR-1B), was treated and BMPR-1B siRNA was used to silence expression of BMPR-1B. Mineralization was augmented by the ALCs treated with the ODAM recombinant protein and the sense ODAM overexpressing cells. The ALP activity was also increased markedly in the sense ODAM overexpressing cells and the ALCs treated with ODAM recombinant protein. The inactivation of ODAM in the ALCs down-regulated the expression of BMPR-1B, whereas its expression was up-regulated markedly when ODAM was overexpressed. These results provide deeper insights into the process of ameloblast maturation and in enamel mineralization. It also suggested that ODAM augmented enamel mineralization.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.437-444
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• 2006

This study was aimed to elucidate the biological function of OD314 (Apin protein), which is related to ameloblast differentiation and amelogenesis. Apin protein, calcifying epithelial odontogenic (pindborg) tumors (CEOTs)-associated amyloid, were isolated from CEOTs, and has similar nucleotide sequences to OD314. We examined expression of the OD314 mRNA using in-situ hybridization during tooth development in mice. Expression of OD314 and several enamel matrix proteins were examined in the cultured ameloblast cell line up to 28 days by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification. After inactivation and over-expression of the OD314 gene in ameloblast cell lines using U6 vectordriven RNA interference and CMV-OD314 construct, RT-PCR were performed to evaluate the effect of the OD314 during amelogenesis. The results were as follows: 1. In in-situ hybridization, OD314 mRNAs were more strongly expressed in ameloblast than odontoblast. 2. When ameloblast cells were cultured in the diffcrentiation and mineralization medium for 28 days, the tuftelin mRNA expression was maintained from the beginning to day 14, and then gradually decreased to day 28. The expressions of amelogenin and enamelin were gradually decreased according to the ameloblast differentiation. 3. Inactivation of OD314 by U6-OD314 siRNA construct down-regulated the expression of OD314, MMP-20, and tuftelin, whereas over-expression of OD314 by CMV-OD314 construct up-regulated the expression of OD314 and MMP-20 without change in tuftelin. These results suggest that OD314 is considered as an ameloblast-enriched gene and may play the important roles in ameloblast differentiation and mineralization.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.459-468
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• 2007

Protein microarray or protein chips is potentially powerful tools for analysis of protein-protein interactions. APin cDNA was previously identified and cloned from a rat odontoblast cDNA library. The purpose of this study was to investigate the APin-protein interactions during ameloblast differentiation. Protein microarray was carried with recombinant APin protein and MEF2, Aurora kinase A, BMPR-IB and EF-hand calcium binding protein were selected among 74 interacting proteins. Immortalized ameloblast cells (ALCs) were transfected with pCMV-APin construct and U6-APin siRNA construct. After transfection, the expression of the mRNAs for four proteins selected by protein micoarrays were assessed by RT-PCR. The results were as follows: 1. APin expression was increased and decreased markedly after its over-expression and inactivation, respectively. 2. Over-expression of the APin in the ALCs markedly down-regulated the expression of MEF2 and Aurora kinase A, whereas their expression remained unchanged by its inactivation. 3. Expression of BMPR-IB and EF-hand calcium binding protein were markedly increased by the over-expression of the APin in the ALCs, whereas expression of BMPR-IB remained unchanged and expression of EF-hand calcium binding protein was markedly decreased by its inactivation. These results suggest that APin plays an important role in ameloblast differentiation and mineralization by regulating the expression of MEF2, Aurora kinase A, BMPR-IB and EF-hand calcium binding protein.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.395-401
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• 2010

Over expression of TGF-${\beta}1$ revealed the same phenotype as NFI-C deficient mouse. It has been reported that NFI-C deficient mice demonstrated abnormal odontoblast differentiation and aberrant dentin formation during root development. In the present study, in order to investigate the histological differences between wild type (WT) mouse and NFI-C deficient mouse, we compared morphological characteristics and smad4 expression between those mice. Hematoxyline-eosin (H-E) staining was used to investigate morphological changes and immunohistochemistry was also performed to observe the Smad4 expression pattern. In H-E staining, incisor of NFI-C deficient mouse showed an open area in the lingual root, irregular odontoblasts and osteodentin. Also, NFI-C deficient mouse showed short root and osteodentin in molar. In addition, Smad4 protein was strongly expressed in NFI-C deficient mouse compared with wild type. These findings suggest that NFI-C deficiency affects odontoblast differentiation and result in the formation of abnormal roots. Therefore, balancing between NFI-C and TGF-${\beta}$ signaling including Smad4 is important for the regulation of normal odontoblast differentiation and dentin formation.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.651-658
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• 2004

Runx2 is a transcription factor in homologous with Drosophila runt gene and it is essential for bone formation during embryogenesis and a critical gene for osteoblast differentiation and osteoblast function. Runx2-haploinsufficency causes cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD). CCD is an autosomal-dominant inherited disorder characterized by hypoplastic clevicle and delayed ossification in fontanelles and wormian bones. Dental defects are possibly shown to CCD patients : multiple supernumerary teeth, irregular and compressed permanent tooth crowns, hypoplastic and hypomineralized defects in enamel and dentin, an excess of epithelial root remnants, the absence of cellular cementum, and abnormally shaped roots. In addition, delayed eruption of the secondary dentition is a constant finding. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of Runx2 in the tooth development and eruption through analyzing the expression pattern of Runx2 by in situ hybridization during crown (late bell stage) and root formation of tooth, using postnatal day 1, 4, 7, 14 and 21 mice mandibular molar teeth. mRNA of Runx2-full length is expressed in dental follicle and surrounding tissue at postnatal day1 and 4. At postnatal day 7, it is expressed in ameloblasts of occlusal surface of enamel and bone area surrounding the tooth. In comparison with previous stage, at postnatal day 14, it is expressed in ameloblasts of proximal surface of enamel. At postnatal day 21 it's expression is observed only in bone area. mRNA of Runx2-typeII is not expressed. At postnatal day 1 and 7. At postnatal day 14 and 21, it's expression is observed in the bone area. In this study, we suggest that Runx2 have a relation of ameloblasts differentiation and an important role to tooth eruption made by dental follicle during intraosseous eruption stage. Also we can confirm that Runx2 has a role to bone formation.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.181-191
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• 2006

NFI-C null mice demonstrated aberrant odontoblast differentiation and thus abnormal dentin formation while other tissues/organs in the body, including ameloblasts, appear to be unaffected and normal. However little is known about the mechanism of NFI-C function in odontoblast differentiation and dentin formation. Odontoblasts are tall, highly polarized cells that are responsible for formation and maintenance of the predentin and dentin. An indication of their polarity is the acquisition of specialized intercellular junctions. As preodontoblasts differentiate into odontoblasts, they are Joined and attached at the apical end by well developed terminal webs of cytoskeletal actins, and associated tight as well as adherent njunctions. In this study, in order to investigate if disruption of the NFI-C gene interferes with formation of a specific or other structural proteins of the intercellular junctions, we examined morphological characteristic of the aberrant odontoblast in NFI-C null mice using light and electron microscope. In addition, we determined the expression of major structural proteins of intercellular junctions, ZO-1 and occludin, during the differentiation of odontoblasts using immunohitochemistry. The results were as follows : 1. In light microscopy, abnormal odontoblasts of incisors of the NFI-C null mice were round in shape, lost their polarity, and trapped in osteodentin-like mineralized tissue. Mutant molars have relatively normal crowns, but short and abnormal differentiating adontoblasts in root formation area. 2. Electron microscopy of abnormal odontoblasts revealed the dissociation of the round osteoblast-like cells, the loss of their cellular polarity, and the absence of an intercellular junctional complex known as the tight junctions. 3. A mutant incisor showed labeling for ZO-1 at the proximal and distal ends of secreting ameloblasts, while staining for ZO-1 was not observed in the abnormal odontoblasts. 4. A normal incisor showed immunoreactivity for occludin in the differentiating odontoblasts. However, staining for occludin was not observed in the abnormal odontoblasts of mutant incisor. These results suggest that NFI-C gene causes dissociation of odontoblast and thus abberant odontoblast differentiation and abnormal dentin formation by interfering with the formation of intercellular junctions.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.576-583
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• 2005

Tooth formation is a complex developmental process that is mediated through a series of reciprocal epithelial-mesenchymal interactions. Several signal pathways and transcription factors have been implicated in regulating molar crown development, but relatively little is known about the regulation of root development. It was reported that NFI-C knockout mice showed abnormal root formation with normal crown. The aims of this study are to elucidate how the NFI-C regulate the determine of root shape and odontoblasts differentiation. We carried out immunohistochemistry using cytokeratin to investigate the role of Hertwig's epithelial root sheath and DSPP mRNA in-situ hybridization to conform the nature of root dentin during root development in NFI-C knockout mice. Cytokeratin reacted with all the HERS cells and the continuity of cytokeratin positive cells between the HERS cells and enamel epithelium was lost in the cervical region both wild and K/O types. After root dentin deposition cytokeratin positive-HERS cells showed irregularity and loss of polarity in the cervical region in K/O type. DSPP mRNA was strongly expressed in odontoblasts of crown and root dentin in wild type mice, whereas expression of DSPP mRNA was restricted in odontoblast of crown dentin in the K/O type. During root formation in NFI-C knockout mice, HERS normally grow out of the crown but fail to induce odontoblast differentiation in root portion. These results suggest that NFI-C may play important roles in odontoblast differentiation during root dentin formation.