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Protein kinase C (PKC) is an important molecule involved in various cell function, and mediates induced secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). It is hypothesized that PKC and VEGF may be associated with tooth development. Using the laser microdissection method and real-time reverse-transcription-polymerase chain-reaction (RT-PCR), we investigated the expression of PKC betaI and betaII, VEGF, and amelogenin (used as a marker of differentiation to ameloblasts) in the inner and outer enamel epithelia, stellate reticulum, and dental papilla in each stage of the dental germ. We found that the expression levels of PKC betaI and betaII were increased in the inner enamel epithelium during the early bell stage. In addition, the increased expression levels of PKC betaI and betaII were accompanied by increased VEGF expression. These results indicate that PKC betaI, betaII, and VEGF are closely associated with the differentiation of the inner enamel epithelium to ameloblasts.

Sprague-Dawley strain rats of 4-5 weeks old were perfusion-fixed with either a mixture containing 0.1 or 0.25% glutaraldehyde and 2% formaldehyde, or a 2% formaldehyde in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer for 10 minutes. Non-decalcified 30-50-micron sections of the enamel organ taken from lower incisors were then processed for ultracytochemical demonstration of ouabain-sensitive, K+-dependent, p-nitrophenyl phosphatase, by use of the one-step lead method, representing the second dephosphorylative step of Na+-K+-ATPase. Throughout the secretory, transition, and maturation stages of amelogenesis, the enzymatic activity was demonstrated along the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membranes of the stratum intermedium and the papillary layer cells, especially along their numerous microvilli. The plasma membranes forming gap junctions and desmosomes were free of reaction or showed slight focal precipitates of reaction products. The stellate reticulum and the outer enamel epithelium exhibited either a weak reaction or were reaction negative. Secretory ameloblasts showed a weak trace-like reaction along the basal and lateral cell surfaces; however, the latter surfaces were sometimes completely free of reaction. Tomes' processes were usually reaction negative. Ameloblasts in the transition and maturation stages were devoid of enzymatic activity, except for a slight reaction along the plasma membranes of the basal cell surfaces of transition ameloblasts facing the papillary layer. The enzymatic activity described above was completely dependent on the presence of potassium and substrate in the incubation media and was almost completely inhibited by an addition of 10 mM ouabain to the incubation media.

At least two types of acid phosphatases with markedly different properties were separated from the enamel organ of rat molar tooth buds. One enzyme (A) bound weakly to the CM-cellulose column and was eluted with a combined linear salt and pH gradient; another enzyme (B) bound strongly to the column and was eluted with a second linear salt gradient at constant pH. Enzyme A was identified as a phosphomonoester hydrolase (3.1.3.2) similar to the lysosomal enzyme of soft tissues and the tartrate-sensitive enzyme of bone. Enzyme B did not hydrolyse aliphatic monophosphate ester substrates but, like enzyme A, it did split the aryl monophosphate ester substrate, para-nitrophenylphosphate, as well as the phosphate esters of casein and the acid anhydride substrates, ATP and inorganic pyrophosphate. This enzyme is similar to the low molecular weight tartrate-resistant acid phosphatases of bone and soft tissues.

p-Nitrophenyl phosphate hydrolysis was studied at neutral pH with tissue preparations of the rat secretory and maturation enamel organs and dental pulp. By introduction of inhibitors to nonspecific alkaline phosphatase activity and stimulants to the K+-stimulated and ouabain-sensitive p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activity, the latter enzyme activity could be demonstrated. This enzyme activity is generally held to be representative of the enzyme sodium- and potassium-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase. The K+-stimulated activity was magnesium dependent and highly sensitive to fluoride. It was inhibited completely by 3 mM fluoride in the incubation medium and about 1 mM produced half the maximum inhibition. The K+-independent enzyme activity was inhibited 50-60% by fluoride in concentrations between 3 and 15 mM. The high fluoride sensitivity of the K+-stimulated activity may perhaps help to explain the vulnerability of dental tissues to fluoride.

Acid phosphatase activity was studied biochemically in homogenates of secretory enamel organs from the rat. Incubations with crude homogenate failed to show distinct pH optima or kinetics characteristic for single enzymes. Crude homogenate activity was strongly inhibited by concentrations higher than 1 mM of NaF and Na-tartrate, and higher than 10 mM of ZnSO4 and para-bromotetramisole oxalate. 10 mM MgCl2 gave a slight stimulation. CaCl2, KCl and EDTA were uneffective. Electrophoretic separation of the crude homogenate acid phosphatase on Triton X-100 containing polyacrylamide gel demonstrated the presence of at least three multiple forms of the enzyme. Two of them showed distinct pH optima at pH 4.4. The third one showed a broad pH plateau in the acid pH range. Kinetic studies of the three forms indicated single enzyme reactions. Two forms had electrophoretic mobilities similar to alkaline phosphatase. One form could be solubilized only after Triton X-100 treatment. All forms were strongly sensitive to 10 mM NaF when added to the reaction mixture. The sensibility to 10 mM ZnSO4, CuSO4, Na-tartrate and para-bromotetramisole oxalate differed between the different forms.

The activity of calcium-stimulated ATPase (E.C. 3.6.1.3) in homogenates of the secretory enamel organ of rat incisors was studied biochemically. ATP hydrolysis was estimated from the amount of inorganic phosphate liberated. An analysis of the total degradation of ATP was initially performed to ensure that the enzyme assays pertained to the original substrate, ATP, and were not influenced by reaction products formed. Standard incubations were run in tris-maleate buffer, pH 8.2, with 3 mM ATP, 3 mM Ca2+ and 0.5 mM R 8231 at 37 degrees C. The presence of R 8231 was necessary to inhibit nonspecific alkaline phosphatase. The calcium-stimulated ATPase was completely inhibited when heated at 55-60 degrees C for 5 min. The pH optimum was found to be 8.2. The hydrolysis was substantially dependent on Ca2+ and was fastest when the ATP:Ca2+ ratio was 1:1. High substrate concentrations inhibited the hydrolysis. The addition of 1 mM Zn2+ and Ni2+ to the incubation medium markedly inhibited the hydrolysis as did, though less strongly, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, oligomycin, EDTA and ruthenium red. l-Cysteine, mercaptoethanol, iodoacetic acid and sodium azide were without effect. F- was without effect unless added to a final concentration above 15 mM to media where Ca2+ had first been allowed to react with ATP.

Protein extracts from 6- to 11-day-old rat enamel organs were applied to columns of carboxymethyl-52 cellulose. Protein eluted from the columns was assayed for acid phosphatase activity with substrates para-nitrophenylphosphate (p-NPP), beta-glycerolphosphate (beta-GP), ATP and phosphocasein. A weakly-bound peak of activity (A) emerged first which was insensitive to stimulation by iron and ascorbic acid. This enzyme hydrolysed only the phosphomonoester substrates (p-NPP and beta-GP). A strongly bound peak of activity (B) emerged later and was completely separated from the first activity. It hydrolysed all substrates except beta-GP, and was stimulated at least 10-fold by 0.1 mM ferrous ion (Fe2+) in the presence of a strong reducing agent (1.0 mM ascorbic acid). Both substances were more effective as stimulators when used together than they were when each was used separately. Dependency on these co-factors for the development of full activity increased with purification, especially when phosphocasein was substrate. The results were similar for each age of rat used. These properties of enzyme B are parallel with those of the acid phosphoprotein phosphatases of liver and spleen, and the tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase of rat bone. We conclude that enzyme B requires iron and a reducing agent for full activity and has properties that distinguishes it from the classical acid phosphatases (E.C. 3.1.3.2.).

The inorganic pyrophosphatase (PPiase) activity was determined by a colorimetric method in the odontoblasts and the parts of the enamel organ related to enamel matrix formation and enamel maturation. The effects on PPi hydrolysis by EDTA, R 8231, urea and heat treatment were found to be almost identical to those reported for nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (APase) in the same tissues. The Mg2+ activation curve for PPiase was also similar. Like those of APase, these characteristics of PPiase activity were identical in the three locations studied. It is suggested that the close similarity in the properties of PPiase and APase is due to activity of the same enzyme, a concept which is in agreement with recent biochemical and histochemical studies of calcification.

The hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate in the mandibular enamel organ demonstrated that the Mg++-activated ATPase was destroyed by pre-treatment with either heat or alcohol, substrate specific for ATP, stimulated by the addition of glutathione or dinitrophenol, and inhibited by oligomycin. The distribution of reaction product was the same with Mg++, Mn++ or Zn++ as the activating cation. Omission of Mg++ from the incubation medium, or replacement with Ca++ or Sr++ resulted in marked hydrolysis of ATP in the cells associated with enamel matrix formation, with loss of enzyme activity in the cells of the zone of enamel matrix maturation. Hydrolysis of ATP by the cells of the stratum intermedium, stellate reticulum and papillary layer was dependent upon Mg++, Mn++, or Zn++.

Aldehyde-fixed, EDTA-demineralized frozen sections of the rat maxillary incisor were histochemically stained for carbonic anhydrase activity, by use of Hansson's method. Intense staining was observed in the odontoblasts, all types of epithelial cells of enamel organ in the maturation zone, cementoblasts, and the cells of the lingual dental sac. Less intense but consistent staining was observed in all types of epithelial cells of odontogenic origin directly facing the pulp and pulp cells adjacent to the odontoblast cell layer in the apical part of the pulp, and was considered due to the carbonic anhydrase-catalyzed reaction. Staining of these cells was completely inhibited by heat pretreatment (120 degrees C, 30 min), 10(-6) mol/L acetazolamide in the incubation medium, incubation by continuous immersion under the liquid surface, and omission of the substrate, NaHCO3. The dentin also exhibited heavy staining which was inhibited by the heat pre-treatment. However, this dentinal staining resisted the inhibition by 10(-3) mol/L acetazolamide and was not inhibited by incubation by continuous immersion or incubation without the substrate NaHCO3. The dentinal staining was thus judged to have been due to non-enzymatic cobalt precipitation.

To investigate how lead, when used as trapping agent, influences the ATP hydrolysis and to study how ATP is catalyzed in histochemical systems, homogenized secretory enamel organs were incubated in histochemical [3H]-ATP media. Aliquots from the media were taken after 3, 10, 20 and 30 min, the ATP and formed metabolites were separated by electrophoresis and radiometrically quantitated. In media lacking both lead and homogenate 2% of the ATP was spontaneously hydrolyzed during 30 min incubation at room temperature. The presence of lead caused an additional 8% hydrolysis at pH 7.2 and an additional 20% hydrolysis at pH 9.4. In the presence of homogenate, however, lead caused a net decrease of the hydrolysis of ATP as well as of ADP and AMP. This enzyme inhibition varied from around zero to some 80%, depending on pH and substrated involved. In homogenate-containing lead media, at both pH 7.2 AND 9.4, ATP was rapidly hydrolyzed primarily to ADP and subsequently to AMP and adenosine and/or inosine. After 5--10 min ADP constituted the predominant substrate at both pH:s. At pH 7.2 ADP remained so for the rest of the incubation, whereas at pH 9.4 AMP was predominant substrate at the end of the incubation. AMP was the finan catabolic product in experiments at pH 7.2, and adenosine and/or inosine at pH 9.4. Inorganic phosphate was liberated almost linearly during the whole incubation period. The results indicate that histochemical studies of substrate specific ATP-ases should be performed with short incubation times and, when high specific activities are present, in large quantities of incubation media to reduce interference by ADP and AMP hydrolyzing enzymes.

The enzyme alkaline phosphatase (AP) (EC 3.1.3.1) in three different calcification areas was studied by means of a spectrophotometric micro method using p-nitrophenylphosphate as a substrate. Rat maxillary incisor odontoblasts and enamel organ from the zones of matrix formation and maturation and tissue from rabbit metatarsal cartilage were allowed to react with the substrate in glycine-NaOH buffer at room temperature. The reaction was found to be linear for a minimum of 20 min. The pH optima for AP from these tissues were in the pH range of 10.0-10.3. In order to compare AP from the four calcification areas different parameters were studied. Heating at 56 degrees C or 60 degrees C for varying times revealed that the enzymes were almost completely inactivated after 10 min. Mg2+ ions activated the enzymes by about 25% at concentrations of 2.5 mM (enamel organ 1.25 mM); while only higher concentrations of Mg2+ had an inactivating effect, Ca2+ and PO3-4 ions were inactivating at varying concentrations. F- ions showed no effect on AP activity at concentrations below 250 mM (enamel organ 125 mM) but caused inactivation of the enzymes at about 50% at 1 M. EDTA was found to be a very effective AP inactivator at concentrations above 0.06 mM, whereas urea did not noticeably affect the enzyme reactions at concentrations below 1 M. At higher concentrations, inactivation was observed. In order to determine AP localization in the epiphyseal plate successive 40-mum-thick, freeze-sectioned slices were analyzed. The activity was highest nearest the zone of cartilage calcification and decreased towards the reserve cell zone. It was concluded that the same AP isoenzyme is present in these quite different calcification loci.