Effects of Extracellular Matrix on Cellular Functions in Human Gingival Epithelial Cells

Abstract

Human gingival epithelial cells (HGE) may play an important role in progression, especially periodontal pocket formation and healing of periodontitis. The extracellular matrix (ECM) has attracted much attention as a important factor in cell attachment, proliferation, and migration because of its ability to promote metabolic HGE activity. We studied the effects of several ECMs. osteopontin (OP), laminin (LM), and fibronectin (FN) on cell attachment, proliferation, migration, expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAR) and paxillin, and tyrosine phosphorylation of these cytoskeletal proteins in HGEs. Cells were cultured using a serum-free keratinocyte growth medium Bullet kit (KGM, Clonetics, USA) on dishes coated with OP, LM, or FN and non coated (control) dishes. Cell attachment and migration were significantly enhanced in cultures in FN-coated dishes, and cell proliferation was significantly stimulated in the cells cultured in OP-coated dishes, while cell migration tended to be inhibited incultures in LM-coated dishes. FN snd OP markedly stimulated the expression of FAK, and FN markedly enhanced paxillin expression in cells. The expression of 125 kDa tyrosine phosphorylated FAK was markedly enhanced in cultures in FN-coated dishes or and that of 68 kDa tyrosine phosphorylated paxillin in FN and LM-coated dishes. These results suggest that FN and OP may act on periodontal pocket formation and healing of periodontitis by stimulating cell attachment and migration or cell proliferation in HGE, and that the stimulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins may be related to FN action on cellular activity in HGE. J. Jpn. Soc. Periodontol., 43: 217-226, 2001.