title: Wnt/beta-catenin inhibits dental pulp stem cell differentiation.
abstract: Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are a unique precursor population isolated from postnatal human dental pulp and have the ability to regenerate a reparative dentin-like complex. Canonical Wnt signaling plays a critical role in tooth development and stem cell self-renewal through beta-catenin. In this study, the regulation of odontoblast-like differentiation of DPSCs by canonical Wnt signaling was examined. DPSCs were stably transduced with canonical Wnt-1 or the active form of beta-catenin, with retrovirus-mediated infection. Northern blot analysis found that Wnt-1 strongly induced the expression of matricellular protein osteopontin, and modestly enhanced the expression of type I collagen in DPSCs. Unexpectedly, Wnt-1 inhibited alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and the formation of mineralized nodules in DPSCs. Moreover, over-expression of beta-catenin was also sufficient to suppress the differentiation and mineralization of DPSCs. In conclusion, our results suggest that canonical Wnt signaling negatively regulates the odontoblast-like differentiation of DPSCs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Signaling, Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, School of Dentistry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Scheller
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000880:Anthraquinones; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000032:analysis; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009804:Odontoblasts / Q000502:physiology; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000032:analysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D051155:Wnt1 Protein / Q000502:physiology*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000880:Anthraquinones; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D024042:Collagen Type I; D004396:Coloring Agents; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin; D053495:Osteopontin; C010078:alizarin; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase