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Dentonin, a MEPE Fragment, Initiates Pulp-healing Response to Injury

¹ Laboratoire de Réparation et Remodelage des Tissus Orofaciaux, EA 2496, Groupe Matrices Extracellulaires et Biominéralisation, Faculté de Chirurgie Dentaire, Université Paris 5, 1, rue Maurice Arnoux, 92120 Montrouge, France;
² Acologix Inc., 3960 Point Eden Way, Hayward, CA 94545, USA; and
³ Department of Orofacial Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, P.O. Box 0422, San Francisco, CA 94143-0422, USA

^* corresponding author, MgoldOd{at}aol.com

Phosphorylated extracellular matrix proteins, including matrix extracellular phosphoprotein (MEPE), are involved in the formation and mineralization of dental tissues. In this study, we evaluated the potential of Dentonin, a synthetic peptide derived from MEPE, to promote the formation of reparative dentin. Agarose beads, either soaked with Dentonin or unloaded, were implanted into the pulps of rat molars, and examined 8, 15, and 30 days after treatment. At day 8, Dentonin promoted the proliferation of pulp cells, as visualized by PCNA-labeling. RP59-positive osteoblast progenitors were located around the Dentonin-soaked beads. PCNA- and RP59-labeling were decreased at day 15, while osteopontin, weakly labeled at day 8, was increased at 15 days, but dentin sialoprotein was undetectable at any time. At 8 days, precocious reparative dentin formation occurred in pulps containing Dentonin-soaked beads, with formation slowing after 15 days. These results suggest that Dentonin affects primarily the initial cascade of events leading to pulp healing.

KEY WORDS: Dentonin • MEPE • reparative dentin • pulp