Smad4 Mediated TGF-beta/BMP Signaling in Tooth Formation Using Smad4 Conditional Knockout Mouse

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Smad4 is a central mediator for transforming growth factor-beta/bone morphogenetic protein (TGF-beta/BMP) signals, which are involved in regulating cranial neural crest cell formation, migration, proliferation, and fate determination. Accumulated evidences indicate that TGF-beta/BMP signaling plays key roles in the early tooth morphogenesis. However, their roles in the late tooth formation, such as cellular differentiation and matrix formation are not clearly understood. The objective of this study is to understand the roles of Smad4 in vivo during enamel and dentin formation through tissue-specific inactivation of Smad4.METHODS: We generated and analyzed mice with dental epithelium-specific inactivation of the Smad4 gene (K14-CreSmad4(fl/fl)) and dental mesenchyme-specific inactivation of Smad4 gene (Osr2Ires-CreSmad4(fl/fl)).RESULTS: In the tooth germs of K14-CreSmad4(fl/fl), ameloblast differentiation was not detectable in inner enamel epithelial cells, however, dentin-like structure was formed in dental mesenchymal cells. In the tooth germs of Osr2Ires-CreSmad4(fl/fl) mice, ameloblasts were normally differentiated from inner enamel epithelial cells. Interestingly, we found that bone-like structures, with cellular inclusion, were formed in the dentin region of Osr2Ires-CreSmad4(fl/fl) mice.CONCLUSION: Taken together, our study demonstrates that Smad4 plays a crucial role in regulating ameloblast and odontoblast differentiation, as well as in regulating epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during tooth development.