Novel long non-coding RNA regulates the proliferation and differentiation of human dental pulp cells

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K11551
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Conservative dentistry
• Research Institution: Tohoku University (2018); Hiroshima University (2016-2017)
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Shigeki 東北大学, 大学病院, 講師 (30549762)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 柴 秀樹 広島大学, 医歯薬保健学研究科(歯), 教授 (60260668)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 歯髄細胞 / epigenetics / lncRNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Human dental pulp cells possess potent proliferative ability. DMP-1 expression is induced during the odonto/osotegenic differentiation of human dental pulp cells. In oral epithelial cells, abundant RNA molecules are transcribed from DMP-1 gene locus and the transcribed RNA molecules remain unspliced and are predominantly localized in chromatin (unspliced DMP-1: unspDMP-1). Suppression of endogenous these RNA molecules resulted in the inhibition of cell growth. Further analysis utilizing Ch-IP analysis revealed that CDKN1B gene was epigenetically modified by unspDMP-1. As human dental pulp cells also expresses unspDMP-1, unspDMP-1 may possess pivotal roles for proliferation, migration, and differentiation in human dental pulp cells.

Free Research Field

保存治療系歯学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

歯髄細胞は高い増殖能・硬組織形成分化能を持つのみでなく、歯髄組織は良質な幹細胞の供給源である。本研究では歯髄・象牙質に高発現するDentain matrix protein-1 (DMP-1)遺伝子座から転写されるRNAがクロマチン動態制御を担うchromatin associated RNAであることを明らかにした報告である。この新規転写産物発現制御により歯髄組織から得られる細胞集団の増殖・分化等の細胞機能を制御すること、さらにはこの新規転写産物発現レベルを指標とした新たな細胞集団を分離することにより、将来的には再生ソースとしての歯髄組織のさらなる有用性開発に繋がると考えられる。