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MEPE expression in osteocytes during orthodontic tooth movement.

Gluhak-Heinrich J, Pavlin D, Yang W, MacDougall M, Harris SE

Department of Orthodontics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA. gluhak@uthscsa.edu

MEPE and DMP1 may play a role in mineralisation and demineralisation within the osteocyte microenvironment. Our earlier studies showed that DMP1 is mechanically responsive [Gluhak-Heinrich J, Ye L, Bonewald LF, Feng JQ, MacDougall M, Harris SE, et al. Mechanical loading stimulates dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) in osteocytes in vivo. J Bone Min Res 2003;18(5):807-17]. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of mechanical loading on the expression of MEPE using mouse tooth movement model, and compare this effect to that on DMP1. METHODS: In situ hybridisation and immunohistochemistry was performed on 38 treated and 38 control bone sites loaded 6-72 h. ImageJ was used for quantification of mRNA expression in osteocytes. RESULTS: Alveolar osteocytes showed high basal level of MEPE that decreased during the first day of loading, followed by 2.8-fold stimulation at day 3, and returning to a control level by day 7. CONCLUSION: The osteocyte specific mechanical stimulation of MEPE was delayed and different, compared to that of DMP1. This suggests a distinct role of MEPE and DMP1 in the response of osteocytes to mechanical loading in vivo.

Published 9 May 2007 in Arch Oral Biol, 52(7): 684-90.
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