Ameloblastin Function in the Periodontal Ligament

描述（由申请人提供）：深层洁牙治疗最严重的并发症之一是牙周强直：在牙槽骨和牙根之间形成坚实的骨附着。因此，我们提出了一个问题，即在牙槽骨和牙根骨质之间的非矿化牙周韧带空间是如何维持的。为了确定可能有助于建立和维持由HERS促进的非矿化牙周韧带间隙的候选分子，我们在具有牙周组织再生和牙周韧带维持同时进行的牙齿运动模型中进行了基因阵列分析（Holliday et al. 2005）。从这些筛选中，成釉细胞素作为一种与hers相关的基因产物出现，在牙周再生和韧带重塑过程中显著上调。在此基础上，我们进行了一些初步研究，以测试成釉素对牙周韧带细胞矿化行为的影响。这些研究结果表明，成釉细胞素能显著抑制牙周韧带细胞的矿化。在此，我们提出了一系列的研究来进一步研究成釉素对牙周韧带细胞矿化行为的影响，并确定成釉素在牙周再生模型中对牙周韧带的影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): One of the most severe complications of deep-scaling periodontal therapy is a process called periodontal ankylosis: the formation of a solid bony attachment between alveolar bone and tooth roots. We have therefore asked the question as to how this non-mineralized periodontal ligament space between alveolar bone and root cementum is maintained. In order to determine candidate molecules that might contribute to the establishment and maintenance of a non- mineralized periodontal ligament space facilitated by HERS, we have performed gene array analyses in a tooth movement model featuring simultaneous periodontal tissue regeneration and periodontal ligament maintenance (Holliday et al. 2005). From these screens, ameloblastin emerged as a HERS-related gene product that was significantly upregulated during periodontal regeneration and ligament remodeling. Following this lead, we have performed a number of preliminary studies to test the effect of ameloblastin on the mineralization behavior of periodontal ligament cells. Results from these studies suggested that ameloblastin significantly inhibits mineralization of periodontal ligament cells. Here we propose a series of studies to further investigate the effect of ameloblastin on the mineralization behavior of periodontal ligament cells and to determine how ameloblastin might affect the periodontal ligament in our periodontal regeneration model. Narrative: One of the most severe complications of gum diseases is a process called ankylosis: the formation of a solid bony attachment between jaw bone and tooth roots. Here we will conduct a series of studies to investigate the effect of a unique gene product (called ameloblastin) to prevent ankylosis. These studies might eventually lead to novel cures for gum diseases.