Osteopontin regulates dentin and alveolar bone development and mineralization.

The periodontal complex is essential for tooth attachment and function and includes the mineralized tissues, cementum and alveolar bone, separated by the unmineralized periodontal ligament (PDL). To gain insights into factors regulating cementum-PDL and bone-PDL borders and protecting against ectopic calcification within the PDL, we employed a proteomic approach to analyze PDL tissue from progressive ankylosis knock-out (Ank-/-) mice, featuring reduced PPi, rapid cementogenesis, and excessive acellular cementum. Using this approach, we identified the matrix protein osteopontin (Spp1/OPN) as an elevated factor of interest in Ank-/- mouse molar PDL. We studied the role of OPN in dental and periodontal development and function. During tooth development in wild-type (WT) mice, Spp1 mRNA was transiently expressed by cementoblasts and strongly by alveolar bone osteoblasts. Developmental analysis from 14 to 240days postnatal (dpn) indicated normal histological structures in Spp1-/- comparable to WT control mice. Microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) analysis at 30 and 90dpn revealed significantly increased volumes and tissue mineral densities of Spp1-/- mouse dentin and alveolar bone, while pulp and PDL volumes were decreased and tissue densities were increased. However, acellular cementum growth was unaltered in Spp1-/- mice. Quantitative PCR of periodontal-derived mRNA failed to identify potential local compensators influencing cementum in Spp1-/- vs. WT mice at 26dpn. We genetically deleted Spp1 on the Ank-/- mouse background to determine whether increased Spp1/OPN was regulating periodontal tissues when the PDL space is challenged by hypercementosis in Ank-/- mice. Ank-/-; Spp1-/- double deficient mice did not exhibit greater hypercementosis than that in Ank-/- mice. Based on these data, we conclude that OPN has a non-redundant role regulating formation and mineralization of dentin and bone, influences tissue properties of PDL and pulp, but does not control acellular cementum apposition. These findings may inform therapies targeted at controlling soft tissue calcification.

Immunolocalization of CSF-1, RANKL and OPG in the enamel-related periodontium of the rat incisor and their implications for alveolar bone remodeling.

The enamel-related periodontium (ERP) in rat incisors is related to bone resorption. In these teeth the face of the socket related to the enamel is continuously removed at the inner side and newly formed at the outer side. CSF-1, RANKL and OPG are regulatory molecules essential for osteoclastogenesis. To verify the effects of impeded eruption on bone remodeling, the tooth eruption was prevented by immobilization of lower rat incisor and CSF-1, RANKL and OPG distribution in the ERP was analyzed after 18 days of immobilization and in normal eruption. The region of the alveolar crest of the rat incisor was used. Immunohistochemistry and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) were performed. The immunostaining of the dental follicle was quantified using Leica QWin software. Positive-TRAP osteoclasts were counted, and both groups were compared. In the normal incisor, the number of osteoclasts was significantly greater than in the immobilized tooth. In the dental follicle, there was no significant difference in the immunostaining intensity for CSF-1 and OPG between the groups (p > 0.05), but for RANKL the immobilized incisor group showed immunostaining intensity smaller than the normal incisor group (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that changes in the ERP, in the immobilized incisor, modify the RANKL/OPG ratio, in the presence of CSF-1, altering the metabolism of cells that participate in the bone remodeling.