title: MEF2 Transcription Factor Regulates Osteogenic Differentiation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells.
abstract: The myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) is a member of the MADS-box family. It controls the expression of genes that are critical for biological processes such as proliferation, cell death, and differentiation. Some studies have shown that MEF2 expression is enhanced in osteogenic progenitor cells established from bone marrow stromal cells with other types of mesenchymal progenitor cells. However, the effect of MEF2 on dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) is unclear. In this study, we investigate the effect of MEF2 on regulating osteogenic differentiation and proliferation of DPSCs. We find that MEF2 is stably expressed in DPSCs, and the expression is increased time-dependently along with cell osteogenic differentiation. MEF2 expression also increases the alkaline phosphatase (ALP), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) activity, and enhances mineralization in DPSCs. SB202190, inhibitor of p38, blocks the p38/MEF2 pathway and osteogenic differentiation. In addition, MEF2 overexpression inhibits DPSC proliferation. In summary, our data indicate that MEF2 not only regulates DPSCs as an inhibitor of cell proliferation but is also a promoter of osteogenic differentiation through the p38/MEF2 signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: 1 The Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Nantong University , Nantong, China .|2 Department of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong, China .
authors.forename: Shuling
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong, China .
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong, China .
authors.forename: Guijuan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: 3 School of Science, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics , Nanjing, China .
authors.forename: Linhe
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: 1 The Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Nantong University , Nantong, China .|2 Department of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong, China .
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1 The Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Nantong University , Nantong, China .|2 Department of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong, China .
authors.forename: Peipei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: 1 The Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Nantong University , Nantong, China .|2 Department of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong, China .
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Pathogen Biology, Medical College, Nantong University , Nantong, China .
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1 The Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Nantong University , Nantong, China .|2 Department of Stomatology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University , Nantong, China .
authors.forename: Xingmei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D064326:MEF2 Transcription Factors