Junyuan Luo1, Yufei Wang1, Kun Wang1, Wentao Jiang1, Xinwei Li1, Linglin Zhang2. 1. State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Centre for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, No.14, Section 3 of Renmin Road South, Chengdu, 610041, China; Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No.14, Section 3 of Renmin Road South, Chengdu, 610041, China. 2. State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Centre for Oral Diseases, Sichuan University, No.14, Section 3 of Renmin Road South, Chengdu, 610041, China; Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No.14, Section 3 of Renmin Road South, Chengdu, 610041, China. Electronic address: zhll_sc@163.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aim ofthis study was to analyse the protein profiles of acquired enamel pellicle (AEP) at two time points (5 minutes and 2 hours) between caries-susceptible and caries-free subjects using label-free and parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) proteomic approaches, and to discover potential biomarkers for dental caries. METHODS: Sixty participants (30 caries-susceptible (DMFT＞5) and 30 caries-free subjects (DMFT = 0)) were included. Their AEP at 5 minutes and 2 hours was separately sampled, and the AEP materials were quantitatively analysed using label-free proteomics. Bioinformatics analysis of differentially expressed proteins was subsequently conducted and target proteins were verified using PRM analysis. RESULTS: A total of 82 and 39 differentially expressed proteins were identified at the 5-minute and 2 -h points, respectively, between the caries-susceptible and caries-free groups. Some proteins related to immune response and antibacterial activity were identified, and the characteristic enriched biological processes of up- and down-regulated proteins were presented using bioinformatics analysis. Subsequently, five intriguing target proteins of each group were chosen for PRM analysis and their presence was successfully verified in the 5-minute and 2 -h AEPs, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The proteins inthe AEPs of caries-susceptible and caries-free subjects at both time points presented unique protein profiles related to immune response and antibacterial activity. Mucin-7 can be regarded as an important potential AEP biomarker for dental caries. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The results of the study identified potential biomarkers, which can facilitate the design of new bio-functional agents for the diagnosis and treatment of dental caries in future.
OBJECTIVES: The aim ofthis study was to analyse the protein profiles of acquired enamel pellicle (AEP) at two time points (5 minutes and 2 hours) between caries-susceptible and caries-free subjects using label-free and parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) proteomic approaches, and to discover potential biomarkers for dental caries. METHODS: Sixty participants (30 caries-susceptible (DMFT＞5) and 30 caries-free subjects (DMFT = 0)) were included. Their AEP at 5 minutes and 2 hours was separately sampled, and the AEP materials were quantitatively analysed using label-free proteomics. Bioinformatics analysis of differentially expressed proteins was subsequently conducted and target proteins were verified using PRM analysis. RESULTS: A total of 82 and 39 differentially expressed proteins were identified at the 5-minute and 2 -h points, respectively, between the caries-susceptible and caries-free groups. Some proteins related to immune response and antibacterial activity were identified, and the characteristic enriched biological processes of up- and down-regulated proteins were presented using bioinformatics analysis. Subsequently, five intriguing target proteins of each group were chosen for PRM analysis and their presence was successfully verified in the 5-minute and 2 -h AEPs, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The proteins inthe AEPs of caries-susceptible and caries-free subjects at both time points presented unique protein profiles related to immune response and antibacterial activity. Mucin-7 can be regarded as an important potential AEP biomarker for dental caries. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The results of the study identified potential biomarkers, which can facilitate the design of new bio-functional agents for the diagnosis and treatment of dental caries in future.