FAM20B-catalyzed glycosaminoglycans control murine tooth number by restricting FGFR2b signaling

Jingyi Wu, Ye Tian, Lu Han, Chao Liu, Tianyu Sun, Ling Li, Yanlei Yu, Bikash Lamichhane, Rena N. D'Souza, Sarah E. Millar, Robb Krumlauf, David M. Ornitz, Jian Q. Feng, Ophir Klein, Hu Zhao, Fuming Zhang, Robert J. Linhardt, Xiaofang Wang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The formation of supernumerary teeth is an excellent model for studying the molecular mechanisms that control stem/progenitor cell homeostasis needed to generate a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues. Although multiple growth factors and transcriptional factors have been associated with supernumerary tooth formation, the regulatory inputs of extracellular matrix in this regenerative process remains poorly understood. Results: In this study, we present evidence that disrupting glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the dental epithelium of mice by inactivating FAM20B, a xylose kinase essential for GAG assembly, leads to supernumerary tooth formation in a pattern reminiscent of replacement teeth. The dental epithelial GAGs confine murine tooth number by restricting the homeostasis of Sox2(+) dental epithelial stem/progenitor cells in a non-autonomous manner. FAM20B-catalyzed GAGs regulate the cell fate of dental lamina by restricting FGFR2b signaling at the initial stage of tooth development to maintain a subtle balance between the renewal and differentiation of Sox2(+) cells. At the later cap stage, WNT signaling functions as a relay cue to facilitate the supernumerary tooth formation. Conclusions: The novel mechanism we have characterized through which GAGs control the tooth number in mice may also be more broadly relevant for potentiating signaling interactions in other tissues during development and tissue homeostasis.

Original languageEnglish
Article number87
JournalBMC Biology
Volume18
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 14 2020

Keywords

  • Extracellular matrix
  • Fam20B
  • Glycosaminoglycan
  • Kinase
  • Proteoglycan
  • Sox2
  • Stem cell
  • Supernumerary teeth
  • Tooth renewal
  • Tooth replacement

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