Disrupted odontoblast differentiation and dentin dysplasia in < em > Epiprofin < /em > -deficient mice

Int J Dev Biol. 2024;68(1):19-24. doi: 10.1387/ijdb.240029lj.ABSTRACTTooth formation is a process tightly regulated by reciprocal interactions between epithelial and mesenchymal tissues. These epithelial-mesenchyme interactions regulate the expression of target genes via transcription factors. Among the regulatory elements governing this process, Epiprofin/Sp6 is a zinc finger transcription factor which is expressed in the embryonic dental epithelium and in differentiating pre-odontoblasts. Epiprofin knockout (Epfn-/-) mice present severe dental abnormalities, such as supernumerary teeth and enamel hypoplasia. Here, we describe dentin defects in molars and incisors of Epfn-/- mice. We observed that in the absence of Epfn, markers of early odontoblast differentiation, such as alkaline phosphatase activity, Dsp/Dpp expression, and Collagen Type I deposition, are downregulated. In addition, the expression of tight and gap junction proteins was severely impaired in the predontoblastic cell layer of developing Epfn-/- molars. Altogether, our data shows that Epfn is crucial for the proper differentiation of dental mesenchymal cells towards functional odontoblasts and subsequent dentin-matrix deposition.PMID:38591690 | DOI:10.1387/ijdb.240029lj

Source: International Journal of Developmental Biology - April 9, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Lucia Jim énez-Rojo Susana de Vega Gaskon Ibarretxe Takashi Nakamura Fernando J Unda Source Type: research