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Selected Works of David M. Ojcius
Presentation
The role of adenosine receptors in the osteoblast differentiation – preliminary results
Excellence Day
  • Soroush Ghaffarpour, University of the Pacific
  • Michael Pedram, University of the Pacific
  • Erivan Schnaider Ramos-Junior, University of the Pacific
  • David M. Ojcius, University of the Pacific
  • Ana Carolina Morandini, University of the Pacific
Lead Author Affiliation
Dental Surgery Program
Introduction/Context/Diagnosis

Adenosine is mainly derived from the release and metabolism of adenine nucleotides following diverse stimuli, including cellular stress, tissue injury and inflammation. Recent studies have advanced our understanding about the critical role of purinergic signaling in the distinct phases of inflammation and also in the control of bone metabolism. However, little is known about the influence of purinergic signaling in the odonto/osteogenic differentiation driving the “plasticity” of oral ectomesenchymal stem cells such as dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). The main goal of this project is to characterize the role of adenosine receptors in odonto/osteogenic differentiation of human DPSCs cultured in osteogenic conditions.

Methods/Treatment Plan
DPSCs were cultured in osteogenic differentiation medium for different time points. Relative mRNA expression for adenosine receptors, such as A2a and A2b, was investigated through RT-qPCR. DPSCs with or without a pan-agonist for adenosine receptors (NECA 0.1, 1 and 10 μM) were compared regarding the relative protein abundance of the osteogenic marker, osteopontin, by Western Blot. Also, alkaline phosphatase activity was performed as a functional assay.
Results/Outcome
Our preliminary results suggest that osteogenic differentiation upregulated mRNA expression of A2a and A2b in DPSCs. Also, stimulation of A2a and A2b by NECA increased both early and late osteogenic markers such as alkaline phosphatase activity and osteopontin expression, respectively.
Significance/Conclusions
This project has just started to elucidate the effect of adenosine in dental pulp stem cells differentiation into osteoblasts. It will potentially underscore the therapeutic importance of adenosine in regulating bone metabolism.
Comments/Acknowledgements
This work was supported by Research Grants to ACM Award 01-Activity 333 from the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry.
Disciplines
Location
University of the Pacific, Dugoni Dental School, San Francisco, CA
Format
Poster
Poster Session
1st and 2nd Year Student Research Presentations
Citation Information
Soroush Ghaffarpour, Michael Pedram, Erivan Schnaider Ramos-Junior, David M. Ojcius, et al.. "The role of adenosine receptors in the osteoblast differentiation – preliminary results" (2017)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/david-ojcius/280/