title: Tenomodulin expression in the periodontal ligament enhances cellular adhesion.
abstract: Tenomodulin (Tnmd) is a type II transmembrane protein characteristically expressed in dense connective tissues such as tendons and ligaments. Its expression in the periodontal ligament (PDL) has also been demonstrated, though the timing and function remain unclear. We investigated the expression of Tnmd during murine tooth eruption and explored its biological functions in vitro. Tnmd expression was related to the time of eruption when occlusal force was transferred to the teeth and surrounding tissues. Tnmd overexpression enhanced cell adhesion in NIH3T3 and human PDL cells. In addition, Tnmd-knockout fibroblasts showed decreased cell adhesion. In the extracellular portions of Tnmd, the BRICHOS domain or CS region was found to be responsible for Tnmd-mediated enhancement of cell adhesion. These results suggest that Tnmd acts on the maturation or maintenance of the PDL by positively regulating cell adhesion via its BRICHOS domain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sensory and Motor System Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. y-komi@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yuske
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Komiyama
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohba
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shimohata
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hojo
authors.forename: Fumiko
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takato
authors.forename: Denitsa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Docheva
authors.forename: Chisa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shukunami
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiraki
authors.forename: Ung-Il
authors.initials: UI
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000502:physiology*; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D010513:Periodontal Ligament / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; C422444:TNMD protein, human