Expression of dynamin II in odontoblast during mouse tooth development

Odontoblasts secrete a collagen-based matrix and release numerous membrane-bound matrix vesicles, which are involved in dentin formation during tooth development. Dynamin II is a GTPase protein that contributes a variety of vesicular budding events, such as endocytotic membrane fission, caveolae internalization and protein trafficking in the Golgi apparatus. However, the expression and function of dynamin II in odontoblasts has not been reported. Therefore, this study examined the expression and possible role of dynamin II in odontoblasts during tooth development and mineralization. The levels of mRNA and protein expression in MDPC23 cells were significantly high at the early stages of differentiation and then decreased gradually thereafter. Immunohistochemistry showed that dynamin II was not expressed near the region of the odontoblasts at embryonic day 17 (E17) and E21. However, dynamin II was expressed strongly in the odontoblast layer at postnatal day 1 (PN1) and decreased gradually at PN3 and PN5. In addition, at PN15 in the functional stage, the dynamin II protein was also expressed in the odontoblast process as well as adjacent to the nuclear region. In conclusion, dynamin II may be involved in the transport of vesicles containing collageneous and non-collageneous proteins for dentin formation in odontoblast, suggesting that it is a good nanomolecule as a candidate to regulate the secretion of collagen on the bone and other nano material.