Cell-surface proteoglycan expression by human periodontal cells
Wilairat Worapamorn, D. of Conservative Dentistry, F. of Dentistry, PSU.
Li, H., Connective tissue research Lab, D. of Dentistry, The U. of Queensland, Australia
Haase, H.R., Connective tissue research Lab, D. of Dentistry, The U. of Queensland, Australia
Pujic, Z., Connective tissue research Lab, D. of Dentistry, The U. of Queensland, Australia
Girjes, A.A., D. of Anatomy, The U. of Queensland, Australia
Bartold, P.M., Prof., D. of Dentistry, The U. of Queensland, Australia
Corresponding e-mail : wwilaira@ratree.psu.ac.th
Published : Connective Tissue Research, 41(1) : 57-68, 2000
Key words : periodontal, syndecan-1, syndecan-2, syndecan-4, betaglycan, glypican
Cell-surface proteoglycans are known to be involved in many functions including interactions with components of the extracellular microenvironment and serve to influence cell shape, adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. They also can act as co-receptors, to help bind and modify the action of various growth factors and cytokines. Despite their strategic location and relevance to cell function, few studies have considered the nature of the cell-surface proteoglycans associated with cells of the periodontium. Due to the structural complexity and multiplicity of cell types in the periodontium, we have selected three different cell lines (gingival connective tissue fibroblast, periodontal ligament fibroblast, and osteoblast) which each represent the unique functions within the periodontium to study the expression of cell-surface proteoglycans. We hypothesized that a number of cell surface proteoglycans will be expressed by human periodontal cells and these may be related to the source
and function of the cell. Western blotting and RT-PCR methods were used to study the expression
of five cell surface proteoglycans (syndecan-1, -2, -4, glypican and betaglycan) in three cell lines of human periodontal cells in vitro. Our results demonstrated the expression of protein cores for
syndecan-1 (43 kDa), syndecan-2 (48 kDa), syndecan-4 (35 kDa), glypican (64 kDa), and betaglycan (100-110 kDa). RT-PCR results confirmed that all of these cells produced mRNA for the cell sur-
face proteoglycans under study, of which syndecan-2 showed a significant difference in expression between the periodontal ligament fibroblasts, gingival fibroblasts and osteoblasts. We conclude
that the presence of specific cell surface proteoglycans on periodontal cells implies a likely role for
these molecules in cell-cell, cell-matrix interactions involved in periodontal disease and/or regen-eration of the periodontium, of which they may have distinctive functions related to the source and function of these cells.
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