A study by scientists at Kyoto University and Fukui University reports that an antibody to a gene (uterine sensitization-associated gene-1 or USAG-1) can stimulate tooth growth in mice who suffer from dental agenesis, a congenital condition.
The study is the first to show the benefits of monoclonal antibodies in tooth regeneration and provides a new therapeutic framework for a clinical problem that can currently only be solved with implants and other artificial measures. He study has been published in Science Advances.
dental anesia
The dental agenesis This is what we commonly know as the lack or absence of a tooth. It is a defect in which certain teeth do not erupt in the mouth due to the absence of these pieces. It is quite common in a high percentage of human beings. It can occur in both permanent teeth and temporary teeth (baby teeth). Although the normal adult mouth has 32 teeth, approximately the 1% of the population has more or less due to congenital conditions.
According to Katsu Takahashi, one of the main authors of the study and a senior professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Kyoto University, the fundamental molecules responsible for the development of teeth have already been identified:
The morphogenesis of individual teeth depends on the interactions of several molecules, including BMP, or bone morphogenetic protein, and Wnt signaling.
BMP and Wnt They are involved in much more than tooth development. They modulate the growth of multiple organs and tissues of the human body. Consequently, medications that directly affect its activity are commonly avoided, as the side effects could affect the entire body.
Considering, then, that targeting the factors that antagonize BMP and Wnt specifically in tooth development could be safer, the team considered the USAG-1 gene.
Therefore, they investigated the effects of several monoclonal antibodies to USAG-1. Monoclonal antibodies are commonly used to treat cancers, arthritis, and vaccine development.
Experiments with this antibody revealed that BMP signaling is essential for determining tooth number in mice. Furthermore, a single administration was sufficient to generate a complete tooth. Subsequent experiments showed the same benefits in ferrets.
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The news
This new drug makes teeth grow in mice that lack them
was originally published in
Xataka Science
by
Sergio Parra
.