title: The effect of octamer-binding transcription factor 4B1 on microRNA signals in human dental pulp cells with inflammatory response.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dental pulp surrounded by rigid dentin is vulnerable to inflammatory stress; because of this, the invaded bacteria could cause irreversible pulpitis and necrosis. Octamer-binding transcription factor 4B1 (Oct-4B1), a newly discovered Oct-4 spliced variant belonging to the class V of the POU transcription factor family, serves as a precursor of Oct-4B and an essential functional isoform of Oct-4. However, its specific role in the inflammatory response of dental pulp cells (DPCs) remains unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  To explore the effect of Oct-4B1 on the inflammatory response of DPCs, messenger RNA expression of Oct-4B1 and Oct-4B in DPCs with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induction was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The expression of Oct-4B1 in DPCs was knocked down by specific small interfering RNA (siRNA); cell proliferation and the apoptosis rate were detected by the Cell Counting Kit-8 (Tokyo, Dojindo, Japan) and Hoechst-propidium iodide staining. The microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles were examined by miRNA microarray and bioinformatic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We showed the messenger RNA expression of Oct-4B1 and Oct-4B was up-regulated in DPCs with LPS stimulation, whereas the knockdown expression of Oct-4B1 led to down-regulation of Oct-4B and an increased number of apoptotic cells in DPCs with LPS stimulation. Moreover, a total of 38 miRNAs were differentially expressed (including 4 up-regulated and 34 down-regulated) in DPCs with Oct-4B1 knockdown. Six of them were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction, among which the target genes of miR-221 were predicted to be enriched in 14 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways represented by mitogen-activated protein kinase, Wnt, and Toll-like signaling pathways.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oct-4B1 may play a critical role in the inflammatory response of DPCs through interaction with miRNAs.
authors: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors: Qianyin
authors: Q
authors: Kong
authors: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors: Lu
authors: L
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors: Yijun
authors: Y
authors: Huang
authors: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Electronic address: weixi@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors: Xi
authors: X
authors: Wei
authors: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
authors: Junqi
authors: J
authors: Ling
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000276:immunology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000276:immunology*; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000276:immunology*; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000276:immunology; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D035683:MicroRNAs; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
keywords: Dental pulp cells; inflammatory response; microRNA signals; octamer-binding transcription factor-4B1