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Angiogenic activity of an enamel matrix derivative (EMD) and EMD-derived proteins: an experimental study in mice
Daniel S Thoma1, Cristina C Villar, David L Carnes
1Clinic for Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics and Dental Material Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. daniel.thoma@zzmk.uzh.ch
Objectives:
To determine whether all or only certain proteins in an enamel matrix derivative (EMD) are angiogenic.
Materials And Methods:
The angiogenic effect was analysed using an in vivo angiogenesis assay. Silicon tubes were filled with or without potential and known angiogenic-modulating factors: (i) an EMD parent, (ii) nine pools of EMD proteins, (iii) fibroblast growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor and (iv) amelogenin. Silicon tubes were implanted subcutaneously in mice. Dextran-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was injected via the tail vein, mice were euthanized and tubes were retrieved. Neovascularization was determined by measuring the amount of dextran-FITC within the tubes.
Results:
The greatest angiogenic potential of the EMD parent was at a weight of 125 ng, resulting in a 4.3-fold increase compared with the negative control. Five pools of EMD proteins showed a stronger angiogenic activity than the EMD parent. Pool 5 showed the greatest angiogenic activity, when compared with the negative control (8.1-fold increase) and with 125 ng of the EMD parent (4.2-fold increase). Amelogenin demonstrated a significantly higher angiogenic activity than the negative control (increase up to 4.0-fold) and the EMD parent (increase up to 1.6-fold).
Conclusions:
EMD parent, recombinant porcine amelogenin and certain pools of EMD proteins induced significant angiogenesis compared with the controls using a standardized in vivo assay.
