Project description:Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) and Enamel Matrix Derivatives (EMD) can support the local regenerative events in periodontal defects. There is reason to suggest that PRF and EMD exert part of their activity by targeting the blood-derived cells accumulating in the early wound healing blastema. However, the impact of PRF and EMD on blood cell response remains to be discovered. To this aim, we have exposed human peripheral blood mononucleated cells (PBMCs) to PRF lysates and EMD, followed by bulk RNA sequencing. A total of 111 and 8 genes are up- and down-regulated by PRF under the premise of an at least log2 two-fold change and a minus log10 significance level of two, respectively. Representative is a characteristic IFN response indicated by various human leukocyte antigens (HLA-DPA1, HLA-DPB1, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQA2, HLA-DRA, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DRB5), gamma Fc receptors (FCGR1A, FCGR1B, FCGR3B), chemokines (CXCL9-11), and calprotectin (S100A8/9 and S100A12), complement (C1QA/B, C2) and interferon-induced guanylate-binding proteins (GBP1, GBP5). With EMD, 67 and 29 genes are up- and down-regulated, respectively. Characteristics of the upregulated genes are tensins (TNS1 and TNS3). Among the genes downregulated by EMD were epsilon Fc receptors (FCER1A; FCER2) and Fc receptor-like proteins (FCRL1, FCRL3) and CX3CR1. Genes commonly upregulated by PRF and EMD were most noticeably NXPH4 and MN1, but also FN1, MMP14, MERTK, and AXL. Our findings suggest that PRF provokes an inflammatory response, while EMD dampens IgE signaling in peripheral mononucleated blood cells.
Project description:Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is prepared from the coagulated plasma of fractionated blood. When squeezing between two plates, PRF is separated into the solid PRF membranes and a liquid exudate, the PRF serum. The question arises regarding the extent to which the overall PRF activity remains in the membranes and what is lost in the serum. To this aim, we have exposed gingival fibroblasts to lysates prepared from PRF membranes and PRF serum, followed by bulk RNA sequencing. A total of 268 up- and 136 down-regulated genes in gingival fibroblasts exposed to PRF lysates are significantly regulated under the premise of a minimum log2 2.5-fold change and a minus log10 significance level of two, respectively. PRF serum caused 62 up- and 32 down-regulated genes when gingival fibroblasts were exposed to PRF serum, respectively. Among the 61 genes commonly up-regulated by PRF lysate and serum were CXCL1, CXCL5, CXCL6, CXCL8, IL33, and IL6 and PTGS2, STC1. PRF lysate further increased the chemokines CCL2, CCL7, CXCL2, CXCL3, and the IL1R1, IL1RL1, and IL1RN – as well as the paracrine factors IL11, LIF, IGF1, BMP2, BMP6, FGF2, CCN2/CTGF and HAS1, HAS2, HAS3. The 16 up-regulated genes by PRF serum included DKK1. Among the 122 down-regulated genes by PRF lysate were IFIT1, IFIT2, IFIT3, OSR1, OSR2. Among the 32 down-regulated genes by PRF serum were FGF18 and GDF15. Taken together, PRF lysates, compared to PRF serum, cause a more complex response of gingival fibroblasts with a chemokine with an obvious increase in chemokine expression and spectrum of paracrine factors.
Project description:Therapeutic angiogenesis in inflammatory microenvironments is constrained by mitochondrial dysfunction in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). This study demonstrates that platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) serves as a mitochondrial reservoir that transfers functional mitochondria to dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) via extracellular vesicle-dependent mechanisms. Multi-omics analyses revealed that PRF-derived mitochondria activated the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in DPSCs, driving concurrent fatty acid biosynthesis and JAK2/STAT4-mTOR pathway activation. This metabolic-signaling integration enhanced VEGF secretion and cell migration under inflammatory conditions. PRF’s fibrin matrix further sustained mitochondrial release while providing topological guidance for DPSC recruitment. In vivo, PRF-DPSC composites significantly accelerated wound closure and neovascularization compared to controls, supported by histomorphometric and molecular analyses. Beyond cytokine delivery, this work establishes PRF as a mitochondrial-augmented biomaterial to reverse MSC metabolic insufficiency, offering a translatable strategy for vascular regeneration in hostile microenvironments.
Project description:Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) is prepared by spontaneous coagulation of fractionated blood. When squeezed between two plates, PRF is separated into solid PRF membranes and a liquid exudate, the PRF serum. The question arises regarding how much the overall activity remains in the PRF membranes and what is discarded into the PRF serum. To this end, we have exposed gingival fibroblasts to lysates prepared from PRF membranes and PRF serum, followed by bulk RNA sequencing. A total of 268 up- and 136 down-regulated genes in gingival fibroblasts exposed to PRF membrane lysates were significantly regulated under the premise of a minimum log2 with 2.5-fold change and a minus log10 significance level of two, respectively. PRF serum only caused 62 up- and 32 down-regulated genes under these conditions. Among the 46 commonly up-regulated genes were CXCL1, CXCL5, CXCL6, CXCL8, IL33, IL6, and PTGS2/COX2, stanniocalcin-1-all linked to an inflammatory response. PRF membrane lysates further increased chemokines CCL2, CCL7, CXCL2, CXCL3, and IL1R1, IL1RL1, and IL1RN, as well as the paracrine factors IL11, LIF, IGF1, BMP2, BMP6, FGF2, and CCN2/CTGF, and all hyaluronan synthases. On the other hand, PRF serum increased DKK1. The genes commonly down-regulated by PRF membrane lysates and PRF serum included interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats (IFIT1, IFIT2, IFIT3) and odd-skipped-related transcription factors (OSR1 and OSR2), as well as FGF18 and GDF15, respectively. Taken together, PRF membrane lysates, compared to PRF serum, cause a more complex response in gingival fibroblasts, but each increased chemokine expression in gingival fibroblasts.
Project description:In order to determine genes that are differentially expressed during angiogenesis, Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) were cultured as 3D cultures undergoing tubulogenesis in a 3D fibrin matrix, or cultured as monolayers on top of a 3D fibrin matrix. RNA was then collected, reverse transcribed to cDNA and hybridized to glass slide oligo arrays containing 19k human genes. Differentially expressed genes in HUVECs undergoing tubulogenesis were then determined by comparing 2D to 3D culture samples.
Project description:Tooth enamel forms in an ephemeral protein matrix where changes in protein abundance, composition and post-translational modifications are critical to achieve healthy enamel properties. Amelogenin (AMELX) with its splice variants is the most abundant enamel matrix protein, with only one known phosphorylation site at serine 16 shown in vitro to be critical for regulating mineralization. The phosphorylated form of AMELX stabilizes amorphous calcium phosphate, while crystalline hydroxyapatite forms in the presence of the unphosphorylated protein. While it is necessary to our understanding of how AMELX regulates mineral transitions over space and time, it is unknown whether and when un-phosphorylated amleogenin occurs during enamel mineralization. This study aims to reveal the spatiotemporal distribution of the most abundant AMLEX splice variants including the full length P173, the shorter leucine-rich amelogenin protein (LRAP), and the exon 4-containing P190 in forming enamel, all within the context of the changing enamel matrix proteome during mineralization. We microsampled permanent pig molars, capturing known stages of enamel formation from both crown surface and inner enamel. Nano-LC-MS/MS proteomic analyses after tryptic digestion rendered more than 500 unique protein identifications in enamel, dentin, and bone. We mapped collagens, keratins, and proteolytic enzymes (CTSL, MMP2, MMP10) and determined distributions of P173, LRAP and P190, the enamel proteins enamelin (ENAM) and ameloblastin (AMBN), and matrix-metalloprotease-20 (MMP20) and kallikrein-4 (KLK4). All enamel proteins and KLK4 were near-exclusive to enamel and in excellent agreement with published expression levels. Phosphorylated P173 and LRAP decreased in abundance from recently deposited matrix towards older enamel, mirrored by increasing abundances of testicular acid phosphatase (ACPT). Our results showed that hierarchical clustering analysis of secretory enamel links closely matching distributions of unphosphorylated P173 and LRAP with ACPT and nontraditional amelogenesis proteins, many associated with enamel defects. We report higher protein diversity than previously published and Gene Ontology (GO)-defined protein functions related to the regulation of mineral formation in secretory enamel (e.g. casein α-S1, CSN1S1), immune response in erupted enamel (e.g. peptidoglycan recognition protein, PGRP), and phosphorylation. This study presents a novel approach to characterize and study functional relationships through spatiotemporal mapping of the ephemeral extracellular matrix proteome.
Project description:Angiogenesis in cultures of rat aorta begins with neovessels sprouting from the aortic explant within the first three days of culture. We used microarrys to examine the effects of TNF-alpha on gene expression in both fibrin and collagen gels during the first 48 hours or culture. Rat aortic rings were cultured in either collagen or fibrin maticies. Half of the cultures from each matrix group were treated with 10ng/ml recombinant rat TNF-alpha, and half were left untreated. These cultures were used to prepare total RNA
Project description:In a systemic effort to survive environmental stress, organ systems fluctuate and adapt to overcome external pressures. The evolutionary drive back towards homeostasis, makes it difficult to determine if an organism experienced a toxic exposure to stress, especially in early prenatal and neonatal periods of development. Previous studies indicate that primary human teeth may provide historical records of experiences related to stressors during that early time window. To assess the molecular effects of early life adversity on enamel formation, we used a limited bedding and nesting (LBN) mouse model of early life adversity (ELA), to assess changes in enamel organ gene expression and enamel mineralization. Enamel of postnatal day 12 (P12) weight-matched ELA mice was more mineralized as compared control enamel. RNAseq showed 724 genes significantly upregulated in ELA enamel organs as compared to controls, and 574 significantly downregulated genes (DESeq2 p-value <= 0.05). Transcripts expressing the enamel matrix proteins amelogenin (Amelx) and enamelin (Enam) were among the top 4 most differentially expressed genes. The most significantly enriched GO and Reactome pathway was Extracellular Matrix Organization, while the most significantly enriched KEGG Pathways were Butanoate metabolism and Synthesis and Degradation of Ketone Bodies. qPCR analysis of weight-matched ELA and control enamel organs confirmed that expression of the ameloblast-specific proteins Amelx and Enam were highly upregulated in ELA mice. When evaluating molecular mechanisms for amelogenin upregulation, we found significantly increased expression of Dlx3, while transcripts for clock genes Per1 and Nrd1, which have also positively associated with amelogenin expression, were downregulated. These findings suggest that the developing enamel organs are sensitive to the pressures of early life adversity and produce structural biomarkers in tooth enamel mineral to reflect these changes. Together these results support the possibility that tooth enamel may contain biomarkers of cellular effects associated with systemic early life adversity.