Development of pulp capping material based on the wound healing mechanism of the pulp tissue using bioinformatics

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K11704
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Conservative dentistry
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: TAKAHASHI YUSUKE 大阪大学, 歯学部附属病院, 講師 (60397693)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 石本 卓也 大阪大学, 工学研究科, 准教授 (50508835) ; 岡本 基岐 大阪大学, 歯学研究科, 助教 (60755354) ; 小道 俊吾 大阪大学, 歯学研究科, 特任研究員 (40804456)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 歯学 / 歯髄 / 覆髄 / バイオインフォマティクス / 創傷治癒

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research aimed to develop a biological pulp capping material which could promote the wound healing process of dentin-pulp complex. We already discovered some proteins which promoted tertiary dentin formation in vivo. Bioinformatic analysis in silico was performed to compare the sequential alignment among protein S100 family proteins or among some mammalian species. As a result, we found some functional domains from the full-length proteins. Then, peptide array analysis was performed to investigate which peptide showed promotive effects on ALP activity of dental pulp cells and we could extract some specific peptides which revealed positive effects. Now, we are performing in vivo pulp capping experiments to investigate which peptide is the most suitable or critical for the wound healing process of dentin-pulp complex as a novel pulp capping material after cavity preparation using rat molars.

Free Research Field

保存治療系歯学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究により、これまでの歯科臨床に置いて存在しなかった歯髄の創傷治癒機転に基づく生物学的覆髄材の開発に向けて、大きな科学的知見が得られた。覆髄時に第三象牙質の形成を誘導する効果をもつタンパク質のアミノ酸配列の中から機能的役割を担うペプチド化合物を得て、覆髄材へと応用しようとする試みはこれまでに報告がなく、その学術的意義は非常に高いと考えられる。また、本研究成果を基に新しい覆髄材が開発されたら、歯髄保存の可能性がこれまでよりも向上するとともに、歯の寿命の延長の可能性も上昇し、ひいては健康寿命の延伸へもつながる可能性があり、非常に社会的意義も大きいと考えている。