Regulation mechanism of differentiation of dental epithelial cells induced by glycoshingolipids.

2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20592405
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthodontic/Pediatric dentistry
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: KAMASAKI Yoko Nagasaki University, 大学院・医歯薬学総合研究科, 助教 (30253678)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SASAKI Yasunori 神奈川県立病院機構, 神奈川県立こども医療福祉センター, 歯科科長 (70332848) ; NISHIGUCHI Miyuki 長崎大学, 大学院・医歯薬学総合研究科, 助教 (10253676) ; HIDAKA Kiyoshi 長崎大学, 大学院・医歯薬学総合研究科, 助教 (10389421) ; YAMADA Aya 東北大学, 歯学研究科, 助教 (40295085)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): FUJIWARA Taku 長崎大学, 大学院・医歯薬学総合研究科, 教授 (00228975) ; FUKUMOTO Satoshi 東北大学, 歯学研究科, 教授 (30264253)
• Project Period (FY): 2008 – 2010
• Keywords: 糖脂質GM3 / 歯原性上皮細胞 / エナメル質 / 神経栄養因子NT-4 / アメロブラスチン / TrkB

Research Abstract

A number of growth factors, including neurotrophic factor NT-4, and their receptors mediate reciprocal epithelial-mesenchymal interactions that regulate the differentiation of ameloblasts and odontoblasts in tooth development. Glycosphingolipids are involved in a variety of membrane-associated cell physiological functions. In this study, we identified strong expressions of GM3 and LacCer in dental epithelium, which give rise to differentiation into ameloblasts. We obtained the results from some experiments suggesting that GM3 and LacCer are essential for NT-4-mediated Ambn gene expression and contribute to dental epithelial cell differentiation into ameloblasts.