title: Immunohistochemical localization of four and a half LIM domains 2 in the odontoblasts of mature human teeth.
abstract: Four and a half LIM domains 2 (FHL2) participates in cell differentiation and cancer development of various tissues, possessing dual functions either as an activator or as a repressor depending on the protein partners involved. Recent studies show that FHL2 plays an important role in osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. The present study was to investigate the expression and localization of FHL2 in human pulp-dentin complex by immunohistochemistry. Our results showed that in sound mature human teeth, FHL2 was expressed in odontoblasts and some endothelial cells of blood vessels. Moreover, in carious teeth FHL2 immunoreactivity was detected in odontoblasts, odontoblast-like cells and endothelial cells of blood vessels. FHL2 was mainly distributed in cytosol of the odontoblast cell bodies and partly located in nuclei of odontoblasts, but not in the odontoblast processes. Our data suggest a role of FHL2 in odontoblast differentiation and dentin formation both in normal and in carious teeth.
authors.affiliation: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Shandong University, 44-1 Wenhuaxi Road, 250012, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaoying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Pishan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000473:pathology; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003804:Dentin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D008297:Male; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009804:Odontoblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D014070:Tooth / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C105987:FHL2 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D060850:LIM-Homeodomain Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors