2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Elucidation of the cell supply system of the gingival junctional epithelium and identification of stem cells using a multicolor cell lineage tracing method

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	21K09899
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Review Section	Basic Section 57030:Conservative dentistry-related
Research Institution	Showa University
Principal Investigator	YAMAMOTO MATSUO 昭和大学, 歯学部, 教授 (50332896)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	美島健二昭和大学, 歯学部, 教授 (50275343) 田中準一昭和大学, 歯学部, 准教授 (40710166) 相澤怜昭和大学, 歯学部, 助教 (80710673)
Project Period (FY)	2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
Keywords	歯周病 / 接合上皮 / 幹細胞 / 多職細胞系譜追跡
Outline of Final Research Achievements	The existence of stem cells that maintain the junctional epithelial tissue, which plays a role in defense against the invasion of foreign bodies, and the cell supply system were elucidated by multicolor cell lineage tracing. It was revealed that the mouse maxillary molar is surrounded by approximately 12 junctional epithelial clonal cell populations derived from a single stem cell. In addition, the junctional epithelial stem cells reported to be Wnt-responsive were located at the end of the outer basal plate furthest from the enamel and were β-catenin-positive cells. It was revealed that the formation of the clonal cell population was filled with cells generated by stem cells in about 24 weeks, and that the spatial expansion of the population not only progressed from the base toward the crown side but also expanded horizontally, forming an irregular leaf-shaped cell mass as a whole.
Free Research Field	保存治療系歯学関連、歯周病学
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	国民の8割が罹患しているといわれる歯周病は歯の喪失の原因だけではなく、その慢性炎症は、糖尿病や非アルコール性肝炎、がん、アルツハイマー病など様々な疾患に悪影響を与えると考えられている。歯周病は、デンタルプラークの慢性的な存在により惹起される歯肉縁症から始まるが、この防御には接合上皮の物理的バリアーが重要である。しかし、接合上皮が維持される仕組みについては不明な点が多い。接合上皮組織の維持機構について幹細胞を中心とした詳細なメカニズムが明らかになれば、歯周病の予防や治癒促進、再生、老化に対する対応の基盤となり、学術的および社会的な意義は大変大きい。