Bmp2 gene in αSMA+ stem/progenitor cells is required for their proper differentiation to periodontal ligament fibroblasts, cementoblasts and alveolar bone osteoblasts — ASN Events
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  3. Bmp2 gene in αSMA+ stem/progenitor cells is required for their proper differentiation to periodontal ligament fibroblasts, cementoblasts and alveolar bone osteoblasts

Bmp2 gene in αSMA+ stem/progenitor cells is required for their proper differentiation to periodontal ligament fibroblasts, cementoblasts and alveolar bone osteoblasts (#72)

Audrey Rakian 1 , Stephen E Harris 1 , Jian Q Feng 2 , Ivo Kalajzic 3 , Jelica Gluhak-Heinrich 1 , Yong Cui 1 , Marie A Harris 1
  1. The University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TEXAS, United States
  2. Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas, United States
  3. Department of Reconstructive Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States

Objectives: Periodontal Disease affects 10-15% of the population worldwide and is the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Periodontal regenerative therapy is unpredictable and inadequate to obtain complete regeneration. αSMA+ cells have been shown by lineage tracing to be stem/progenitor cells of the periodontium. Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (Bmp2) has recently been shown to play an important role in bone and periodontium formation. However, the role of Bmp2 in αSMA+ stem/progenitor cells has not been investigated.

Methods: Lineage-tracing of α-SMA+ cells using tamoxifen-inducible Cre mouse model (α-SMA-CreERt2 mouse model with Rosa26-LSL-tdTomato-Cre Reporter, and Bmp2 floxed mice), α-SMA+ cells in the presence and absence of Bmp2-gene were lineage-traced to cementoblasts, periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblasts and alveolar bone osteoblasts. μCT, confocal analysis, immunohistochemistry, and histology methods were used in these studies.

Results: Deletion of the Bmp2-gene from α-SMA+ stem/progenitor cells resulted in a reduction of stem/progenitor cells that progressed to cementum, periodontal ligaments and alveolar bone. The primary phenotype is major loss of alveolar bone and PDL and decreased cementum.

Conclusion: The expression of Bmp2-gene in α-SMA+ cells is necessary for their proper differentiation to PDL fibroblasts, cementoblasts and alveolar bone osteoblasts. Understanding the basic lineage properties of these highly regenerative cells within the periodontium will lead to new knowledge that will give us insights in the treatment of periodontal disease.