Expression of matrilin-2 and -4 in human dental pulps during dentin-pulp complex wound healing

J Endod. 2011 May;37(5):642-9. doi: 10.1016/j.joen.2011.02.018. Epub 2011 Mar 23.

Abstract

Introduction: Matrilin-2 and matrilin-4 are members of the matrilin family displaying broad tissue distribution. We recently reported that matrilin-2 showed significant down-regulation during the odontogenic differentiation of dental pulp cells (DPCs). It is reported that matrilin-4 was the only extracellular matrix biogenesis and organization-related gene detected in odontoblasts but not DPCs. However, the exact role of matrlin-2 and -4 in dental pulps remains unclear. The aim of our study was to analyze the expression of matrilin-2 and -4 in human dental pulps and their relation to dentin-pulp complex wound healing.

Methods: Immunohistology was performed on the paraffin-embedded tissue sections of human dental pulps from sound and deep carious teeth. Matrilin-2 and -4 messenger RNAs were detected by quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and the proteins were shown by immunofluorescence and Western blot during odontogenic differentiation of the DPCs.

Results: In the sound dental pulp, matrilin-2 immunoreactivity was observed throughout the pulp, whereas matrilin-4 was observed only in the odontoblast layer. In deep carious dental pulp, matrilin-2 protein was weakly stained, whereas matrilin-4 was detected in the pulp under the carious lesion. During odontogenic differentiation of DPCs, the expression of matrilin-2 messenger RNA was down-regulated within 14 days followed by a statistical increase on day 21, and the matrilin-2 protein level was down-regulated within the 3 weeks, whereas the messenger RNA and protein expressions of matrilin-4 increased in a time-dependent manner.

Conclusions: Matrilin-2 and matrilin-4 have been shown in human dental pulps and might be involved in the dentin-pulp complex wound-healing process.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology
  • Dental Caries / pathology
  • Dental Pulp / cytology*
  • Dentin / cytology
  • Down-Regulation
  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins / analysis*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Gene Expression
  • Glycoproteins / analysis*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Matrilin Proteins
  • Odontoblasts / cytology
  • Odontogenesis / physiology
  • Phosphoproteins / analysis
  • RNA, Messenger / analysis
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sialoglycoproteins / analysis
  • Time Factors
  • Wound Healing / physiology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Extracellular Matrix Proteins
  • Glycoproteins
  • MATN2 protein, human
  • MATN4 protein, human
  • Matrilin Proteins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Sialoglycoproteins
  • dentin sialophosphoprotein