Research sometimes takes unexpected paths. A Japanese startup will launch clinical trials in September 2024 for what is believed to be the first-ever treatment that can regrow teeth. A bit like a lizard with its tail cut off. An alternative to implants.
“ Congenital dental deficiencies are estimated to affect approximately 1% of the population. “explained Dr. Katsu Takahashi, head of the department dentistrydentistry and oral surgery at Kitano Hospital in Osaka (Japan) during a press conference on May 2. “ The lack of six or more teeth, a condition known as oligodontia, is believed to be hereditary and affects approximately 0.1% of the population. “.
Quoted by Japanese media The Mainichithe scientist presented what a revolution in oral health could mean. Namely the first medication for tooth regrowth “.
Successfully tested on ferrets
This drug, created by the startup Toregem Biopharma, was already successfully tested on ferrets in 2018. Specifically, it concerns an antibody that has the ability to deactivate a protein called USAG-1, which inhibits the growth of teeth.
The first clinical trials are expected to begin in humans in September and end in August 2025. Initially, the drug will be administered intravenously to healthy individuals who do not have diabetes choosechoose. Once the drug’s safety is confirmed, it will be administered to patients missing a complete set of teeth to confirm its effectiveness.
Optimistic scientists believe that in the future it should be possible to grow teeth not only in people with congenital diseases, but also in those who have lost teeth due to caries or injuries. They also hope to bring their drug to market in 2030.
Article by Julie KernJulie Kernpublished on April 5, 2021
Japanese scientists have managed to regenerate teeth in mice using an antibody monoclonalmonoclonal. How does it work?
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Normally, humans have 32 permanent teeth, which appear between the ages of 6 and 12. But it is not uncommon for a dentist to detect an extra tooth during an x-ray, usually near the incisors. These excess teeth can cause aesthetic problems, but also mechanical problems or be a potential source of infection. There is also a condition, of congenital origin, in which one or more permanent teeth are missing, this is dental agenesis.
The most common example is the partial or total absence of wisdom teeth. In other cases, dental agenesis can cause more disability and the solution is to install one prosthesisprosthesis dental or implant, expensive procedures that are not always reimbursed by health insurance.
Researchers from several Japanese universities, including those in Kyoto and Osaka, have found a way to regenerate a missing tooth. The treatment – still experimental and currently only tested on mice – is based on an antibody that disrupts the signaling pathways that block tooth growth. Details will be published in Scientific progress.
Regrow teeth using an antibody
THE embarrassedembarrassed USAG-1, which encodes a protein of the same name (referred to as USAG-1), is involved in tooth growth. When expressed, it suppresses tooth development and prevents excess teeth from appearing. When the gene is defective or the protein it encodes does not work, the teeth grow uncontrollably and excess teeth appear. Scientists have used this appearance to evolve monoclonal antibodiesmonoclonal antibodies targeting the USAG-1 protein, preventing its interaction with the BMP, Wnt, or both signaling pathways.
The target ? Observe whether the injection of this antibody can stimulate tooth growth in mice with congenital tooth agenesis. geneticallygenetically.
The antibodies are injected into pregnant mice (the buttonsbuttons teeth appear when theembryoembryo after about six weeks) and the teeth of their offspring are analyzed. The antibodies allowed the regrowth of several teeth: a mandibular molar, incisors upper jawupper jaw and lower jaw. How do they work? According to the scientists’ experiments, the antibodies attach to the part of USAG-1 that interacts with LRP5/6, a nuclear receptor involved in the BMP signaling pathway, which itself is involved in the control of tooth development.
In summary, the antibodies made it possible to regenerate several teeth in mice suffering from dental agenesis. Scientists therefore indicate that monoclonal antibodies against USAG-1 should only be used in congenital forms of the disease.