The regulatory roles of osteopontin (OPN) in early pulpal inflammatory responses and cellular differentiation after tooth injuries

• Project/Area Number: 25K12949
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57010:Oral biological science-related
• Research Institution: Niigata University
• Principal Investigator: QuispeSalcedo Angela 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 助教 (20966866)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 山崎 智彦 国立研究開発法人物質・材料研究機構, 高分子・バイオ材料研究センター, 主幹研究員 (50419264) ; 大島 勇人 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 教授 (70251824)
• Project Period (FY): 2025-04-01 – 2028-03-31
• Project Status: Granted (Fiscal Year 2025)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000); Fiscal Year 2027: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2026: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2025: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
• Keywords: dental pulp / odontoblast / immune cells / injuries / osteopontin

Outline of Research at the Start

The details of the crosstalk between osteopontin (OPN) and pulpal immune cellsremain unclear. This study aims to elucidate the regulatory roles of OPN in early pulpal inflammatory responses and cellular differentiation after tooth injuries, addressing the following concerns: a) Regulation of the initial interactions among pulpal macrophages, dendritic cells and progenitors by OPN after injuries using an organ culture system, b) Modulation of macrophages polarization by OPN under inflammatory conditions, and c) Efficacy of exogenous OPN in accelerating odontoblast-like cell differentiation.