Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which is activated in odontomas, reduces Sema3A expression to regulate odontogenic epithelial cell proliferation and tooth germ development

Shinsuke Fujii, Kengo Nagata, Shinji Matsumoto, Ken ichi Kohashi, Akira Kikuchi, Yoshinao Oda, Tamotsu Kiyoshima, Naohisa Wada

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Odontomas, developmental anomalies of tooth germ, frequently occur in familial adenomatous polyposis patients with activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling. However, roles of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in odontomas or odontogenic cells are unclear. Herein, we investigated β-catenin expression in odontomas and functions of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in tooth germ development. β-catenin frequently accumulated in nucleus and/or cellular cytoplasm of odontogenic epithelial cells in human odontoma specimens, immunohistochemically. Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibited odontogenic epithelial cell proliferation in both cell line and tooth germ development, while inducing immature epithelial bud formation. We identified Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) as a downstream molecule of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and showed that Wnt/β-catenin signaling-dependent reduction of Sema3A expression resulted in suppressed odontogenic epithelial cell proliferation. Sema3A expression is required in appropriate epithelial budding morphogenesis. These results suggest that Wnt/β-catenin signaling negatively regulates odontogenic epithelial cell proliferation and tooth germ development through decreased-Sema3A expression, and aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling may associate with odontoma formation.

Original languageEnglish
Article number4257
JournalScientific reports
Volume9
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 1 2019

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

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