AIM: To investigate the expression of osteocalcin mRNA in young and in aged human dental pulp tissue to determine the characteristics of osteocalcin expression. METHODOLOGY: Human dental pulp tissues of the third molars were obtained from healthy young (17-23 years) and aged (>50 years) subjects, and total RNA was extracted. Osteocalcin mRNA expression was determined by RT-PCR and by quantitative real-time RT-PCR (QRT-PCR). The threshold cycle (Ct) value, which reflects the amount of PCR, was calculated and the difference between the value in young and aged pulp was statistically analysed. RESULTS: Osteocalcin mRNA was detected in all samples of human dental pulp tissue homogenates by RT-PCR analysis. Osteocalcin mRNA was expressed in young adult dental pulp but was decreased in aged human dental pulp. QRT-PCR analysis also showed a reduced expression of osteocalcin mRNA in aged human pulp. Expression of osteocalcin in young human pulp was significantly higher (about sixfold) than in aged pulp (P<0.01, Mann-Whitney U-test). CONCLUSION: Reduction of osteocalcin expression may be associated with the loss of viability in human dental pulp tissue, and may be a characteristic of aged human dental pulps.
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Muramatsu et al. (2005) studied this question.
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