ABSTRACT
Objective@#To study the effect of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) on the expression of genes related to enamel development in the enamel epithelium and to provide a basis for the study of the molecular mechanism of enamel development.@*Methods@#The p38 MAPK-specific inhibitor SB203580 dissolved in DMSO was added to the culture medium of mouse mandibular molar tooth germs in vitro as experiment group, and mouse mandibular molar tooth germs treated with the same amount of DMSO were used as control group. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression level of phosphorylated p38 (p-p38) in the enamel epithelium. Real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteoblast-specific transcription factor (Osx), ameloblast markers odontogenic ameloblast associated protein (ODAM), amelotin (AMTN), matrix metalloproteinase 20 (MMP20) and kallikrein 4 (KLK4) in the enamel epithelium. @*Results @# Western blot results showed that under the action of the inhibitor SB203580, the phosphorylation level of p38 MAPK in mouse enamel epithelium decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Real-time PCR results showed that the expression levels of the transcription factors Runx2 and Osx and the ameloblast markers ODAM, AMTN, MMP20, and KLK4 in the SB203580 group were lower than those in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).@*Conclusion@#The p38 MAPK signaling pathway can mediate enamel development by regulating the expression of the transcription factors Runx2 and Osx and the ameloblast markers ODAM, AMTN, MMP20 and KLK4 in the mouse enamel epithelium.
ABSTRACT
A novel tetrazolium salt, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulphophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) was used in the assessment of antimicrobial activity in earthworm in the presence of phenazine methosulphate (PMS) as an electron coupling reagent. This activity was purified from the coelomic fluid of the earthworm (ECF), Eisenia fetida andrei (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae, annelids) using a series of column chromatography techniques and was tested against three Gram-negative strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aeromonas hydrophila and three Gram-positive strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus megaterium, Arthrobacter sp., respectively. Only the pigment-free eluate of coelomic fluid of the earthworm (ECFPE) showed activity against B. megaterium amongst three isolated active fractions. The anion (DEAE-52) exchange effluent of the ECFPE was reported to have the strongest activity against P. aeruginosa amongst the three active fractions. The 20% acetonitrile eluate (AE) by Sep-Pak C18 cartridge was also tested and showed fair resistance against E. coli, P. aeruginosa and Arthrobacter sp., respectively.