The roles of Smad 2/3 in transforming growth factor-beta 1 signaling in human dental pulp cells.
- Author:
Liu-yu BAO
1
;
Zhong-ying NIU
;
Ping WANG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Adolescent; Adult; Biological Transport; drug effects; Blotting, Western; Cell Nucleus; metabolism; Cells, Cultured; Child; Cytoplasm; metabolism; DNA-Binding Proteins; metabolism; physiology; Dental Pulp; cytology; drug effects; metabolism; Humans; Microscopy, Confocal; Signal Transduction; Smad2 Protein; Smad3 Protein; Time Factors; Trans-Activators; metabolism; physiology; Transforming Growth Factor beta; pharmacology; Transforming Growth Factor beta1
- From: Chinese Journal of Stomatology 2003;38(1):39-42
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo explore the roles of Smad 2/3 in transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGF-beta(1)) signaling by human dental pulp cells.
METHODSLaser scanning confocal microscope was used to observe translocation of Smad 2/3 from plasma into nucleus in cultured dental pulp cells at early stage of TGF-beta(1) treatment, and changes of Smad 2/3 protein expression at later stage were evaluated by Western blot analyses.
RESULTSThe expression of Smad 2/3 (fluorescence intensity) kept decreasing in cytoplasm but increasing in nucleus within 2 h after TGF-beta(1) treatment, forming a trend that Smad 2/3 translocated into nucleus from cytoplasma. The total amount of Smad 2 protein remained unchanged before and after TGF-beta(1) treatment, but the expression level of Smad 3 decreased markedly after 24 h treatment and kept dropping by 48 h.
CONCLUSIONSThe results suggest that the Smad 2/3 may be the downstream signal transducers of TGF-beta(1) in human dental pulp cells and Smad 2/3 may mediate TGF-beta(1) signaling by translocation early in TGF-beta(1) treatment, while down-regulation of Smad 3 expression by TGF-beta(1) at later stage is involved in negative modulation of TGF-beta(1) signaling.
