title: Antagonistic Functions of USAG-1 and RUNX2 during Tooth Development.
abstract: Supernumerary teeth and tooth agenesis are common morphological anomalies in humans. We previously obtained evidence that supernumerary maxillary incisors form as a result of the successive development of the rudimentary maxillary incisor tooth germ in Usag-1 null mice. The development of tooth germs is arrested in Runx2 null mice, and such mice also exhibit lingual epithelial buds associated with the upper molars and incisors. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential crosstalk between Usag-1 and Runx2 during tooth development. In the present study, three interesting phenomena were observed in double null Usag-1-/-/Runx2-/- mice: the prevalence of supernumerary teeth was lower than in Usag-1 null mice; tooth development progressed further compared than in Runx2 null mice; and the frequency of molar lingual buds was lower than in Runx2 null mice. Therefore, we suggest that RUNX2 and USAG-1 act in an antagonistic manner. The lingual bud was completely filled with odontogenic epithelial Sox2-positive cells in the Usag-1+/+/Runx2-/- mice, whereas almost no odontogenic epithelial Sox2-positive cells contributed to supernumerary tooth formation in the rudimentary maxillary incisors of the Usag-1-/-/Runx2+/+ mice. Our findings suggest that RUNX2 directly or indirectly prevents the differentiation and/or proliferation of odontogenic epithelial Sox2-positive cells. We hypothesize that RUNX2 inhibits the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) and/or Wnt signaling pathways regulated by USAG-1, whereas RUNX2 expression is induced by BMP signaling independently of USAG-1.
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Yumiko
authors: Y
authors: Togo
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Katsu
authors: K
authors: Takahashi
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Kazuyuki
authors: K
authors: Saito
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Honoka
authors: H
authors: Kiso
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Hiroko
authors: H
authors: Tsukamoto
authors: School of Dentistry and Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW, 2800, Australia.
authors: Boyen
authors: B
authors: Huang
authors: Department of Nephrology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Motoko
authors: M
authors: Yanagita
authors: Department of Molecular Genetics, Division of Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Matsuokashimoaizuki, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan.
authors: Manabu
authors: M
authors: Sugai
authors: Division of Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Anatomy, Iwate Medical University, 2-1-1, Nishitokuta, Yahaba, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan.
authors: Hidemitsu
authors: H
authors: Harada
authors: Department of Cell Biology, Unit of Basic Medical Sciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, 852-8588, Japan.
authors: Toshihisa
authors: T
authors: Komori
authors: Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Institute for Advancement of Clinical and Translational Science, Kyoto University Hospital, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Shimizu
authors: Institute of Oral Health Research, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America.
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: MacDougall
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Shogoin-Kawahara-cho, Sakyo-ku, 606-8507, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Kazuhisa
authors: K
authors: Bessho
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit / Q000502:physiology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006928:Hyoid Bone / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D007180:Incisor / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014070:Tooth / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D050659:Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit; C493716:Runx2 protein, mouse; C483887:Sostdc1 protein, mouse