title: EGR1 supports the osteogenic differentiation of dental stem cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether and how the transcription factor early growth response gene 1 (EGR1) affects the osteogenic differentiation of dental stem cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dental stem cells from apical papilla (SCAPs) and from the dental follicle (DFCs) were transfected with EGR1-specific siRNA or EGR-1 expression plasmid. Gene regulation was verified at protein level by Western blotting. The expression of the transcription factors distal-less homeobox 3 (DLX3), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), which are all regulators and markers of the osteogenic differentiation in dental stem cells, was determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). To investigate mineralization, SCAP long-term cultures were stained with alizarin red after EGR1 over-expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EGR1 was induced in SCAPs during osteogenic differentiation. DLX3 and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) were up-regulated after EGR1 over-expression and down-regulated after EGR1 depletion. The expression of ALP was also down-regulated after EGR1 depletion. The over-expression of EGR1 in SCAPs promoted mineralization after osteogenic differentiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EGR1 supported the osteogenic differentiation of dental stem cells by potentially regulating the expression of DLX3 and BMP2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Press
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viale-Bouroncle
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Felthaus
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gosau
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morsczeck
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D003795:Dental Sac / Q000166:cytology*; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008964:Molar, Third; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: C525718:BMP2 protein, human; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; C088334:Distal-less homeobox proteins; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase
keywords: bone morphogenetic protein 2; dental follicle precursor cells; distal-less homeobox 3; early growth response gene 1; stem cells from apical papilla