Altered distribution of extracellular matrix proteins in the periodontal ligament of periostin-deficient mice.

Verifying whether periostin affects the distribution of type I collagen, fibronectin and tenascin C in the periodontal ligament (PDL) is important to contribute to a more thorough understanding of that protein's functions. In this study, we have histologically examined incisor PDL of mandibles in 20 week-old male wild-type and periostin-deficient (periostin-/-) mice, by means of type I collagen, fibronectin, tenascin C, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, matrix metallo-proteinase (MMP)-1 and F4/80-positive monocyte/macrophage immunostaining, transmission electron microscopy and quantitative analysis of cell proliferation. Wild-type PDL featured well-arranged layers of collagen bundles intertwined with PDL cells, whose longitudinal axis ran parallel to the collagen fibers. However, cells in the periostin-/- PDL were irregularly distributed among collagen fibrils, which were also haphazardly arranged. Type I collagen and fibronectin reactivity was seen throughout the wild-type PDL, while in the periostin-/- PDL, only focal, uneven staining for these proteins could be seen. Similarly, tenascin C staining was evenly distributed in the wild-type PDL, but hardly seen in the periostin-/- PDL. MMP-1 immunoreactivity was uniformly distributed in the wild-type PDL, but only dotted staining could be discerned in the periostin-/- PDL. F4/80-positive monocyte/macrophages were found midway between tooth- and bone-related regions in the wild-type PDL, a pattern that could not be observed in the periostin-/- PDL. In summary, periostin deficiency may not only cause PDL collagen fibril disorganization, but could also affect the distribution of other major extracellular matrix proteins such as fibronectin and tenascin C.