Differential response to mechanical stimulus loading of Galectin-3 in primary and secondary cartilage

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K11942
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthodontics/Pediatric dentistry
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Terao Fumie 九州大学, 歯学研究院, 助教 (10510018)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 高橋 一郎 九州大学, 歯学研究院, 教授 (70241643) ; 春山 直人 九州大学, 歯学研究院, 准教授 (70359529)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 軟骨分化 / 機械的刺激応答 / ガレクチン3

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The mandibular condylar cartilge (MCC), and has the functions of primary cartilage, articular cartilage and growth plate cartilage, at the same time. In this study, to elucidate a novel mechanism of galectin-3-mediated regulation of secondary cartilage-specific chondrogenic differentiation, we analyzed cells from mouse embryonic MCC primordium and limb buds. In MCC-derived cells, exogenous galectin-3 suppressed chondrogenic differentiation, while endogenous galectin-3 promoted cell proliferation. The pathway of galectin 3 response to mechanical stimuli may be different between MCC-derived cells and limb bud cells.

Free Research Field

歯科矯正学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ガレクチン３は、発生期の下顎頭軟骨細胞の増殖・分化に深く関わり、機械的刺激に対して長管骨にある一次軟骨とは異なる応答性を示すことが分かった。この結果は、ガレクチン３の軟骨分化過程への生物学的役割の解明だけでなく、歯科矯正臨床において、下顎頭軟骨の成長制御や機械的刺激負荷による骨関節症の発症など、成長期から成人期に至るまで顎関節や下顎頭軟骨に関わる問題の解決に対して基盤的知識の蓄積に貢献するものと考えられる。