# The Role of DPP in Dental Pulp Stem Cells and its Potential in Tissue Regeneration

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · 2023 · $379,763

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Deep caries and pulp exposures are normally treated by pulp capping or partial pulp
amputation to preserve the vitality of the pulp. Control of dental caries is a major public
health program. Discovery of the dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have opened up new
avenues for regeneration or repair of the pulp-dentin complex. The use of adult stem
cells for tissue regeneration and repair is important in regenerative medicine. Another
important component for tissue engineering is a bioactive signaling molecule. For the
last two decades we have been studying the acidic phosphoproteins of the organic
matrix of bone and dentin. Besides their function in the extracellular matrix, many of
these proteins are now implicated in stimulating signaling events. One such protein
identified in the dentin matrix is dentin phosphophoryn (DPP). Until recently, the function
of DPP was thought to be structural; however, recent studies have suggested that DPP
may have other functions in cell signaling. Our preliminary data indicate that DPP
activates the Wnt signaling pathway to promote odontoblast differentiation of the dental
pulp stem cells. Wnt5a was the specific Wnt activated by DPP in DPSCs. The
downstream effectors of Wnt5a signaling that we propose to investigate are β-catenin,
TAZ and RhoC. We hypothesize that these DPP-mediated activation of these effectors
are responsible for differentiation of DPSC's and their migratory properties. To test this
hypothesis we propose to use molecular approaches : (a) To investigate the molecular
mechanisms by which DPP mediates the activation of Wnt signaling to stabilize β-catenin
and TAZ resulting in the differentiation of DPSCs into odontoblasts; (b) To examine the
influence of DPP stimulation on RhoC GTPase signaling and its effect on the
reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton in DPSCs leading to changes in cell shape and
migration; (c ) To evaluate DPP as a therapeutic agent in an ectopic model for dentin-
pulp regeneration. Overall, results from these studies would reveal an unprecedented
signaling framework modulated by DPP that could be utilized in the future to develop therapies
to restore lost damaged or diseased dentin-pulp complex with a vital pulp leading to tooth
survival.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10596123
- **Project number:** 5R01DE028531-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Anne George
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $379,763
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2025-09-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10596123

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10596123, The Role of DPP in Dental Pulp Stem Cells and its Potential in Tissue Regeneration (5R01DE028531-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10596123. Licensed CC0.

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