title: Expression and function of the actin-severing protein adseverin in the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of dental pulp cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adseverin is an actin-severing and actin-capping protein that is primarily expressed in secretory cells, where it regulates the filamentous actin cytoskeleton during cell differentiation and exocytosis. However, little is known regarding its regulatory role in dental pulp cells (DPCs). This study examined the expression and function of adseverin in the proliferation, migration, and odontoblastic differentiation of DPCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  DPCs were assayed for morphologic changes, proliferation, migration, alkaline phosphatase activity, and dentin sialoprotein and dentin matrix protein-1 protein levels in vitro after knockdown of adseverin by using small interfering RNA. Tooth germs isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats were processed for immunohistochemistry analysis of adseverin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adseverin expression was increased in a time-dependent fashion in the early stage of odontoblastic differentiation. When adseverin expression was suppressed in DPCs, their cellular morphology was altered, and their proliferation, migration, and odontoblastic differentiation were substantially decreased in vitro. Secretory odontoblasts in the tooth germ at day 5 post partum expressed a stronger adseverin signal compared with those at days 1 and 3 post partum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adseverin may play a crucial role in the proliferation, migration, and odontoblastic differentiation of DPCs via filamentous actin cytoskeleton regulation. However, further investigations are required to clarify the underlying mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xuyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yihua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qimei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jinming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: lingjq@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Junqi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ling
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002465:Cell Movement; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology*; D018260:Gelsolin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009804:Odontoblasts / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D018260:Gelsolin; C065395:scinderin
keywords: Adseverin; dental pulp cells; differentiation; odontoblasts