The effect of inhibiting p38 MAPK on the expression of genes related to enamel development in mice

Abstract

Objective To study the effect of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) on the expression of genes related to enamel development in the enamel epithelium and to provide a basis for the study of the molecular mechanism of enamel development. Methods The p38 MAPK-specific inhibitor SB203580 dissolved in DMSO was added to the culture medium of mouse mandibular molar tooth germs in vitro as experiment group, and mouse mandibular molar tooth germs treated with the same amount of DMSO were used as control group. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression level of phosphorylated p38 (p-p38) in the enamel epithelium. Real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteoblast-specific transcription factor (Osx), ameloblast markers odontogenic ameloblast associated protein (ODAM), amelotin (AMTN), matrix metalloproteinase 20 (MMP20) and kallikrein 4 (KLK4) in the enamel epithelium. Results Western blot results showed that under the action of the inhibitor SB203580, the phosphorylation level of p38 MAPK in mouse enamel epithelium decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Real-time PCR results showed that the expression levels of the transcription factors Runx2 and Osx and the ameloblast markers ODAM, AMTN, MMP20, and KLK4 in the SB203580 group were lower than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion The p38 MAPK signaling pathway can mediate enamel development by regulating the expression of the transcription factors Runx2 and Osx and the ameloblast markers ODAM, AMTN, MMP20 and KLK4 in the mouse enamel epithelium.

Keywords

• p38 mapk，
• sb203580，
• enamel ，
• tooth germ，
• enamel epithelium ，
• enamel development ，
• signaling pathway，
• runt-related transcription factor 2，
• osterix ，
• ameloblast markers，