Expression and processing of small integrin-binding ligand N-linked glycoproteins in mouse odontoblastic cells

Objective Small integrin-binding ligand N-linked glycoproteins (SIBLINGs) are expressed in dentin and believed to control dentinogenesis. Five members of SIBLING family include bone sialoprotein (BSP), osteopontin (OPN), matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE), dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) and dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP). These genes are clustered on chromosome 4q in humans and share similar biological features. DSPP and DMP1 are processed into given structural/functional fragments in rat and porcine. It still remains unclear whether these evidences occur in mouse and other SIBLING members are also processed into given fragments from their parent precursors. The aim of this study was to identify expression and processing of the five proteins in two mouse odontoblastic cell lines.