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Sox21 Regulates Anapc10 Expression and Determines the Fate of Ectodermal Organ
Kan Saito1, Frederic Michon2, Aya Yamada1
1Division of Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Oral Health and Development Sciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
The transcription factor Sox21 is crucial for tooth development, preventing enamel hypoplasia and hair formation. Its disruption leads to ectopic hair growth and impaired enamel, highlighting its role in cell fate determination.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Sox21 is a transcription factor present in developing tooth epithelium.
- Its precise role in tooth development requires further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the function of Sox21 in tooth development.
- To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying Sox21's role in dental epithelial cell fate.
Main Methods:
- Generation and analysis of Sox21 knockout mice incisors.
- Molecular analyses including differentiation marker assessment.
- Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) to identify Sox21 targets.
- Investigation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathways.
Main Results:
- Sox21 disruption resulted in enamel hypoplasia, regional osteoporosis, and ectopic hair formation in incisors.
- Ameloblasts lost differentiation markers and formed hair follicles.
- Sox21 regulates Anapc10, influencing dental epithelial versus hair follicle cell fate.
- Disruption of Sox21 or Anapc10 induced Smad3, accelerated TGF-β1-induced EMT, and led to E-cadherin degradation via Skp2.
Conclusions:
- Sox21 is essential for normal tooth development, controlling dental epithelial differentiation and enamel formation.
- Sox21 disruption creates a microenvironment that promotes hair formation.
- Sox21 inhibits EMT via Anapc10, thereby maintaining dental epithelial identity and preventing hair follicle development.
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