title: The effect of matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein and its downstream osteogenesis-related gene expression on the proliferation and differentiation of human dental pulp cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE), a new member of the small integrin binding ligand N-glycosylated (SIBLING) family, is believed to play multifunctional roles in regulation of cell signaling, mineral homeostasis, and mineralization.
  
  
  METHODS
  To study how MEPE affects the downstream genes involved in regulation of the proliferation and osteogenesis differentiation of dental pulp cells (DPCs), we explored the proliferation and osteogenesis differentiation capability of DPCs stimulated with recombinant MEPE or transfected with adenoviral-mediated human MEPE gene and used a systematic approach by osteogenesis real-time polymerase chain reaction arrays to profile osteogenesis-related gene expression after MEPE gene transfection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results indicated higher proliferation capability in a time- and dose-dependent pattern by cholecystokinin octapeptide assay, and gene/protein expression of osteogenic markers bone sialoprotein, dentin sialophosphoprotein, osteocalcin, and collagen I were up-regulated dependent on time points showed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Moreover, a total of 3 genes, including enamelin, transforming growth factor-β2, and integrin α2, were significantly up-regulated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicated that MEPE appeared to play an important positive role in proliferation and osteogenesis differentiation of DPCs through interaction with downstream signals.
authors.affiliation: Division of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. weixi@mail.sysu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Junqi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000032:analysis; D003746:Dental Enamel Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D039421:Integrin alpha2 / Q000235:genetics; D058574:Integrin-Binding Sialoprotein / Q000032:analysis; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000032:analysis; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D012844:Sincalide / Q000032:analysis; D014162:Transfection; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2 / Q000235:genetics; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult; D000099311:Dentin Sialophosphoprotein
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D003746:Dental Enamel Proteins; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D039421:Integrin alpha2; D058574:Integrin-Binding Sialoprotein; D015675:Osteocalcin; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; D012844:Sincalide; D053781:Transforming Growth Factor beta2; D000099311:Dentin Sialophosphoprotein; C486579:MEPE protein, human; C038456:tuftelin