title: The C-terminus of amelogenin enhances osteogenic differentiation of human cementoblast lineage cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Amelogenin proteins are the major constituent of developing extracellular enamel matrix and are believed to have an exclusively epithelial origin. Recent studies have suggested that amelogenins might induce the differentiation and maturation of various cells, including cementoblast lineage cells. However, the residues comprising the active site of amelogenin remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the active site region of amelogenin by studying the effects of amelogenin fragments on the osteogenic differentiation of cementoblasts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Amelogenin fragments lacking the C-terminus (rh163) and N-terminus (rh128) and a fragment consisting of the C-terminal region of rh174 (C11 peptide) were synthesized and purified. Human cementoblast lineage cells were cultured in osteogenic differentiation medium and treated with 0, 10, 100 or 1000 ng/mL of rh163, rh128 or C11 peptide. The mRNA levels of bone markers were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis. Alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition were also determined. Mineralization was evaluated by alizarin red staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The osteogenic differentiation of human cementoblast lineage cells was significantly enhanced by treatment with rh128 or C11 peptide, whereas rh163 had no significant effect as compared with untreated controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The C-terminus of amelogenin promotes the osteogenic differentiation of human cementoblast lineage cells, indicating the possible utility of C11 peptide in periodontal tissue regeneration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Applied Life Sciences, Hiroshima University, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kunimatsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Applied Life Sciences, Hiroshima University, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Applied Life Sciences, Hiroshima University, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Applied Life Sciences, Hiroshima University, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Awada
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Maxillofacial and Pathobiology, Basic Life Sciences, Hiroshima University, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyauchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Maxillofacial and Pathobiology, Basic Life Sciences, Hiroshima University, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.affiliation: Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Denbesten
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, Applied Life Sciences, Hiroshima University, Institute of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanimoto
mesh_terms: D053523:Amelogenin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020134:Catalytic Domain; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D003739:Dental Cementum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D053523:Amelogenin; D010446:Peptide Fragments
keywords: cementoblast; enamel proteins; regeneration