Nucleation and growth inhibition of biological minerals by cementum attachment protein-derived peptide (CAP-pi).

Biomineralization is a highly regulated process where proteins/peptides-crystal interactions contribute to the shaping, phasing and aggregation of minerals. We have identified and synthesized a cementum attachment protein-derived peptide (CAP-pi), which corresponds to amino acids 40-53 of the N-terminal CAP domain (MASSDEDGTNGGAS) and its phosphorylated variant (MASpSpDEDGTNGGASp) (CAP-pip). The peptide is composed of polar and negatively charged amino acids, which are disordered, according to in silico analysis.

Carboxy-Terminal Cementum Protein 1-Derived Peptide 4 (cemp1-p4) Promotes Mineralization through wnt/-catenin Signaling in Human Oral Mucosa Stem Cells.

Human cementum protein 1 (CEMP1) is known to induce cementoblast and osteoblast differentiation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in human periodontal ligament-derived cells in vitro and promotes bone regeneration in vivo. CEMP1's secondary structure analysis shows that it has a random-coiled structure and is considered an Intrinsic Disordered Protein (IDP). CEMP1's short peptide sequences mimic the biological capabilities of CEMP1.

Cementum protein 1-derived peptide (CEMP 1-p1) modulates hydroxyapatite crystal formation in vitro.

A cementum protein 1-derived peptide (CEMP1-p1) consisting of 20 amino acids from the CEMP1's N-terminus region: MGTSSTDSQQAGHRRCSTSN, and its role on the mineralization process in a cell-free system, was characterized. CEMP1-p1's physicochemical properties, crystal formation, and hydroxyapatite (HA) nucleation assays were performed. Crystals induced by CEMP1-p1 were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and atomic force microscopy.

Synthetic cementum protein 1-derived peptide regulates mineralization in vitro and promotes bone regeneration in vivo.

The use of recombinant proteins has revolutionized the development of biologic pharmaceuticals; however, they are not free of complications. Some have very high molecular weight, some demonstrate in vivo instability, and the high cost of producing them remains a major problem. On the other hand, it has been shown that peptides derived from active domains keep their biologic activity and can trigger events, such as osteogenesis and bone regeneration.

Human recombinant cementum attachment protein (hrPTPLa/CAP) promotes hydroxyapatite crystal formation in vitro and bone healing in vivo.

Cementum extracellular matrix is similar to other mineralized tissues; however, this unique tissue contains molecules only present in cementum. A cDNA of these molecules, cementum attachment protein (hrPTPLa/CAP) was cloned and expressed in a prokaryotic system. This molecule is an alternative splicing of protein tyrosine phosphatase-like A (PTPLa).

Stem cells of the lamina propria of human oral mucosa and gingiva develop into mineralized tissues in vivo.

Aims: To characterize the mineralized tissue formed constitutively in the supracalvarial region of scid mice by a primitive stem cell population (hOMSC) derived from the lamina propria of the human oral mucosa and gingiva.

Material And Methods: Fibrin-hOMSC constructs were cultured for 14 days at which time point they were analysed for the expression of osteoblastic/cementoblastic markers and implanted between the skin and calvaria bones into scid mice. After 8 weeks, the animals were sacrificed and the implantation sites analysed.

Chronic cannabinoid administration to periadolescent rats modulates the metabolic response to acute cocaine in the adult brain.

Purpose: To analyze brain metabolic response to acute cocaine in male and female Wistar rats with or without a history of cannabinoid exposure during periadolescence.

Procedures: The synthetic cannabinoid agonist CP 55,940 (CP) or its vehicle (VH), were administered to male and female rats during periadolescence. When these animals reached adulthood, saline and cocaine-induced changes in 2-deoxy-2-[¹⁸F]fluoro-D-: glucose (FDG) uptake were studied by positron emission tomography.

Periadolescent exposure to cannabinoids alters the striatal and hippocampal dopaminergic system in the adult rat brain.

In a previous work, we have shown that chronic administration of the cannabinoid agonist CP 55,940 (CP) during periadolescence increases cocaine self-administration in adult female rats, while it produces no such effect in males (Higuera-Matas et al., 2008). To extend these findings, we have analysed here the brains of the rats used as subjects in this previous work to evaluate the impact of the interaction between CP exposure and cocaine self-administration on dopaminergic parameters.

Differential cocaine-induced modulation of glutamate and dopamine transporters after contingent and non-contingent administration.

Although dopamine and glutamate transmission has been implicated in cocaine dependence, the effects of the extinction of cocaine self-administration on protein transporters in both of these neurotransmitter systems remain unknown. We have used a yoked-box procedure to simultaneously test rats in triads, one rat that actively self-administered cocaine (CONT), while the other two received yoked injections of either cocaine (NON-CONT) or saline (SALINE). The brains in each triad were removed and processed for quantitative autoradiography immediately after the last session of cocaine self-administration (Day 0), or after 1, 5, or 10 days of extinction, and excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) and dopamine transporter (DAT) binding was examined.