{"title":"JAK-STAT signaling: molecular mechanism and targeted treatment in dento-maxillofacial abnormalities.","authors":"Zihan Huang,Yiwen Cui,Wenyi Zhang,Jiachen Shen,Qinggang Dai,Siyuan Sun,Lingyong Jiang","doi":"10.1038/s41368-025-00399-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41368-025-00399-z","url":null,"abstract":"Dento-maxillofacial abnormalities are highly prevalent and arise as a result of a variety of etiological factors, presenting substantial challenges to treatment. The JAK-STAT signaling plays a pivotal role in dentofacial development, regulating endochondral ossification, intramembranous ossification, dental follicle formation, and enamel development. Mutations in the JAK-STAT signaling lead to syndromes associated with severe dento-maxillofacial abnormalities, including Growth Hormone Insensitivity Syndrome and Autosomal Dominant Hyper-IgE Syndrome. Corresponding mouse disease models have been developed to simulate the phenotypes observed in clinical patients and investigate their underlying mechanism. Meanwhile, several medications targeting JAK-STAT signaling, including baricitinib and imatinib, have been developed for clinical application, demonstrating significant effects in skeletal disorders such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, indicating promising effects in development and abnormalities of dento-maxillofacial. In this review, we aim to summarize the role of JAK-STAT signaling in the development and abnormalities of dento-maxillofacial bone, and the relevant molecules that may be utilized for clinical treatment, to shed new light on the precise treatment of dento-maxillofacial abnormalities.","PeriodicalId":14191,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Oral Science","volume":"53 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147350369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"KDM6B/Pdk1 glycolytic pathway-driven ZEB2 lactylation promotes cellular cementum formation.","authors":"Zhengkun Yang,Huiyi Wang,Junhong Xiao,Qiudong Yang,Jiahui Sun,Heyu Liu,Zhendong Huang,Li Ma,Xin Huang,Chuan Wang,Xiaoxuan Wang,Zhengguo Cao","doi":"10.1038/s41368-025-00420-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41368-025-00420-5","url":null,"abstract":"Periodontitis is a common chronic inflammatory disease that ultimately results in irreversible tooth loss. Cementum, a bone-like tissue surrounding tooth roots, deteriorates as periodontitis advances, ultimately causing tooth loss. Therefore, cementum regeneration is considered a key factor in periodontal regeneration. Given the shared gene expression patterns and characteristics between cementum and bone, strategies for cementum regeneration may inform approaches for bone regeneration. Cementoblasts are responsible for cementum formation. This study identified lysine demethylase 6B (KDM6B) as a positive regulatory molecule that promotes cementoblast mineralization and formation. The seahorse assay revealed that KDM6B regulates glycometabolic reprogramming during cementoblast mineralization. Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequencing and bulk RNA sequencing revealed that pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1), a crucial enzyme in glycolysis, is a direct target of KDM6B. Activation of the KDM6B-Pdk1 axis enhanced lactate production, driving lactylation of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2). ZEB2 lactylation subsequently promotes cementoblast mineralization. Moreover, both in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that sodium lactate supplementation restores mineralization impaired by KDM6B suppression. In conclusion, our findings identify the KDM6B-Pdk1-ZEB2 lactylation axis as essential for cementogenesis, providing new insights for periodontal regeneration strategies.","PeriodicalId":14191,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Oral Science","volume":"69 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147329191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anjali P Patni, Rubul Mout, Ammar Alghadeer, Rachel H Moore, Samera Nademi, Brandon J Ausk, Philippe Huber, Riya Keshri, Mary Regier, Robert A Cornell, Ted Gross, Benjamin S Freedman, George Q Daley, David Baker, Julie Mathieu, Hannele Ruohola-Baker
{"title":"Soluble Notch agonist enables human ameloblast maturation and enamel-like tissue formation for tooth regeneration.","authors":"Anjali P Patni, Rubul Mout, Ammar Alghadeer, Rachel H Moore, Samera Nademi, Brandon J Ausk, Philippe Huber, Riya Keshri, Mary Regier, Robert A Cornell, Ted Gross, Benjamin S Freedman, George Q Daley, David Baker, Julie Mathieu, Hannele Ruohola-Baker","doi":"10.1038/s41368-026-00429-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41368-026-00429-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Enamel, the hardest mineralized material in the human body, protects the underlying living tissues, the dentin and pulp of the tooth. However, over 90% of adults have lost or damaged enamel and cannot regenerate the protective structure due to lack of enamel-producing cells, ameloblasts. iPSC-derived secretory Ameloblasts (isAM) have promise in future regenerative dentistry. Today, it is not known why iAM maturation requires intimate contact with the dentin-producing cell type, odontoblast. Here, we reveal that one of the critical signaling ligands emanating from odontoblasts for ameloblast maturation is Delta, the ligand for Notch receptor. We showed that our designed, soluble Notch agonist can induce iAM organoid maturation in an unprecedented manner, without interactions with odontoblast layer. Notably, soluble Notch agonist induces the iAM maturation to a novel, WDR72-positive mature secretory AM stage (ismAM) in our ameloblast organoid model. When transplanted under the kidney capsule of NOD-SCID mice, these ismAM organoids generated enamel-like calcified material, as confirmed by microCT analysis, marking the first demonstration that Notch-activated iAM organoids can form such tissue in vivo. This novel maturation procedure enabled us to analyze the specific requirements of DLX3 function in ameloblasts, independent of its known function in odontoblasts. We now show that DLX3, a gene associated with Amelogenesis Imperfecta, is required on a cell-autonomous manner in human ameloblasts for the expression of Enamelin, MMP20, and WDR72, a role not previously demonstrated in mouse models.</p>","PeriodicalId":14191,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Oral Science","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":17.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12950815/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147326123","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Single-cell transcriptional atlas reveals distinct immune-chondrocyte crosstalk mechanisms in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis induced by different types of occlusal disorder","authors":"Kang Wang, Yusi Li, Shuaixi Xiang, Ningyi Shao, Peiqi Wang, Xianrui Yang, Xianglong Han, Qingfeng Li, Hui Xu","doi":"10.1038/s41368-025-00424-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41368-025-00424-1","url":null,"abstract":"Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive degenerative disease in which the intricate mechanisms of the condyle cartilage damage are yet to be disclosed. A detailed characterization of cellular composition and signal networks involved in the pathogenesis is in need. This study, for the first time, identified chondrocytes heterogeneity and subchondral immune microenvironments based on single-cell transcriptomes of the mouse mandibular condyle, and provided insights into the cellular and signaling basis of the homeostasis of the condyle and pathogenesis of TMJOA by healthy-to-diseased comparisons. The differentially expressed gene pattern distinguished 8 chondrocyte subsets and 9 immune cell types in the condyle. Close interactions were found between these cell populations, with enhanced communication between chondrocytes and immune cell subsets in the condyles subjected to anterior premature contact (APC) model or unilateral anterior crossbite (UAC) model. The single-cell transcriptomic changes suggested predominant roles of neutrophils in immune-chondrocyte interactions in these occlusal disorder models. Neutrophils-derived TNF-α signaling was inferred to be the most greatly enhanced information flow in the condyle of the APC model, while increased Thbs1-Sdc4 signaling in mediating neutrophils-to-chondrocytes interactions was indicated in the UAC-model condyle, with predominant BSP signaling. Interfering in these signaling by drug administration demonstrated therapeutic potential for the APC- or UAC-induced TMJOA.","PeriodicalId":14191,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Oral Science","volume":"57 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147320014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"ANKRD1 sustains a neurogenic BMSC niche and counters cognitive aging","authors":"Zifei Wang, Xiaoyun Liu, Wenyu Zhen, Fei Xu, Rui Wang, Wenhu Fan, Wenhao Zhang, Yulong Zhang, Wansu Sun, Mingyue Wu, Jiacai He, Hao Gu, Hengguo Zhang","doi":"10.1038/s41368-026-00428-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41368-026-00428-5","url":null,"abstract":"Craniomaxillofacial bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) retaining neural crest–derived neurogenic niche is driven by lineage memory and niche homeostasis. Elucidating how the neurogenic potential is maintained is critical for neurological health. Here, we explored a neural crest-like progenitor niche in BMSCs with high neurogenic and proliferative capacity by single-cell transcriptomics. In which, ANKRD1 is a pivotal regulator sustaining the neurogenic reservoir. Importantly, ANKRD1 expression in this niche declines with aging and lineage commitment, coinciding with its redistribution from a diffuse nucleoplasmic pattern to perinuclear enrichment along the nuclear lamina and loss of neural potential. Mechanistically, ANKRD1 preserves neurogenic capacity by directly binding super-enhancers of neural marker genes (SOX2, NESTIN) and maintaining open chromatin architecture. Critically, neuron-targeted ANKRD1 delivery rescues spatial memory deficits in aged mice. These findings establish ANKRD1 as a therapeutically tractable regulator that sustains neurogenic chromatin reservoirs to support neurocognitive resilience, opening avenues to counter cognitive aging.","PeriodicalId":14191,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Oral Science","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147320015","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Identification of GLDN<sup>+</sup> odontogenic stem cells as crucial for human tooth development and regeneration.","authors":"Chengcheng Liao, Jinglun Liu, Maojiao Li, Bingqian Yang, Yejia Yu, Jian Yang, Xiaoxia Su, Shixing Ma, Hanchao Li, Jingyi Zhang, Weidong Tian, Li Liao","doi":"10.1038/s41368-025-00419-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41368-025-00419-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The dental papilla (DP) is essential for the development of dentin and pulp. The extensive cellular heterogeneity within the DP is a critical factor underlying the complex and precise formation of dental structures during odontogenesis. However, the critical cell types within human DP that play essential role in tooth development and regeneration remain largely uncharacterized. In this study, we analyzed the heterogeneity of human DP cells using single-cell sequencing and identified Gliomedin (GLDN)<sup>+</sup> DP stem cells (DPSCs) were a group of progenitors at an early stage of tooth development and play a key role in the development of pulp and dentin. GLDN<sup>+</sup> DPSCs strategically accumulate in human DP tissue near the interface of the newly formed dentin or pulp. Functional assays demonstrated that GLDN<sup>+</sup> DPSCs exhibited enhanced self-renewal, migratory capacity, and odontogenic differentiation potential in vitro compared to GLDN<sup>-</sup> DPSCs. Moreover, GLDN<sup>+</sup> DPSCs effectively induce the migration and tube formation of endothelial cells, which are essential for tooth development. The ectopic dental pulp regeneration model confirmed that GLDN<sup>+</sup> DPSCs can regenerate a vascularized dental pulp structure with an odontoblast layer in vivo. Given their functional capabilities, this population of cells has been designated as GLDN<sup>+</sup> odontogenic stem cells (OSCs). Mechanistically, GLDN is essential for maintaining the phenotype and function of GLDN<sup>+</sup> OSCs through BMP5 signaling via autocrine and paracrine mechanisms. In conclusion, this study identifies a previously uncharacterized essential subpopulation of OSCs essential for dental pulp development and regeneration.</p>","PeriodicalId":14191,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Oral Science","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":17.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12948983/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147317100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Allison A Naumann, Elissa M Elmorr, Eleanor I Lamont, Erik L Hendrickson, Tessa Holmes, Travis M Nelson, Jeffrey S McLean, Kristopher A Kerns
{"title":"DNA and RNA-based amplicon sequencing of paired supragingival and dentin lesion plaque in children with severe early childhood caries.","authors":"Allison A Naumann, Elissa M Elmorr, Eleanor I Lamont, Erik L Hendrickson, Tessa Holmes, Travis M Nelson, Jeffrey S McLean, Kristopher A Kerns","doi":"10.1038/s41368-025-00421-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41368-025-00421-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Early childhood caries is a form of tooth decay in children under the age of 6 and impacts more than 514 million children worldwide. Severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) represents the most advanced and aggressive form of early childhood caries, defined by an age-dependent number of cavitated, missing, or filled smooth surfaces in the primary maxillary anterior teeth, or an overall count of decayed, missing, or filled tooth surfaces. To advance our understanding of the microbiological differences between different types of dental caries, we sought to investigate deep dentin caries isolated from 13 children with S-ECC and compare it with supragingival plaque isolated from the same site to identify differentially abundant species. Co-extraction methods allowed species identification by both the 16S gene and transcript sequences. By sequencing and analyzing reverse transcribed 16S rRNA in parallel to DNA, we were able to identify bacteria with higher metabolic potential within dentin plaque, allowing the detection of potentially active oral bacterial species that may be driving and/or contributing to this most severe form of dental caries. Here, we highlight that Lactobacillus casei and Oribacterium sp. HMT-078 are significantly differentially enriched in dentin plaque and has an increased RNA/DNA ratio, indicating activity within dentin plaque samples from S-ECC patients. These species may therefore play a significant role in the progression and severity of S-ECC within deep dentin plaque, in addition to other well-established cariogenic species associated with S-ECC, like Prevotella denticola, Dialister invicus, and Streptococcus mutans.</p>","PeriodicalId":14191,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Oral Science","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":17.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12929799/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147276263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xue Jiang, Yuteng Weng, Yanhuizhi Feng, Jie Huang, Haicheng Wang, Zuolin Wang
{"title":"Implantation awakens peri-implant osteogenic potential via Snx5-EGFR axis-mediated mechanical transduction.","authors":"Xue Jiang, Yuteng Weng, Yanhuizhi Feng, Jie Huang, Haicheng Wang, Zuolin Wang","doi":"10.1038/s41368-025-00423-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41368-025-00423-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Alveolar bone resorption during the socket healing process compromises subsequent restoration outcomes. Recent clinical evidence suggests that dental implant placement can effectively prevent such bone loss, yet the mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, combined multi-dataset screening pinpointed sorting nexin 5 (Snx5) as a potential regulator of mechanotransduction, whose expression was downregulated in early peri-implant bone remodeling zones following implant placement. Functional studies showed that loss of Snx5 abolished the additional osteogenic enhancement normally induced by mechanical stimulation. In vivo, Snx5 deficiency disrupted the mechanosensitive activation of LepR<sup>+</sup> MSCs and compromised implant-induced osteogenesis. Mechanistically, Snx5 facilitates the recycling of phosphorylated EGFR (p-EGFR) back to the plasma membrane to sustain EGFR signaling. Loss of Snx5 redirects EGFR trafficking toward late endosomes and lysosomal degradation, thereby weakening its signaling. These findings uncover a previously unrecognized role for Snx5 in mediating the osteogenic fate of peri-implant BMSCs in response to mechanical cues, expanding the functional repertoire of the Snx family. Collectively, these findings highlight Snx5 as a novel regulator of mechanosensitive bone remodeling and suggest that its downregulation may contribute to peri-implant bone adaptation. This study provides new insights into how the mechanical microenvironment regulates bone repair and highlights Snx5 as a promising molecular target for modulating skeletal mechano-responsiveness in clinical bone regeneration.</p>","PeriodicalId":14191,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Oral Science","volume":"18 1","pages":"18"},"PeriodicalIF":17.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12920663/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146226801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Haiyang Sun, Shuhuai Meng, He Cai, Zhengyi Xu, Kuo Gai, Dan Meng, Yixin Shi, Feng Luo, Xibo Pei, Jian Wang, Anjali P Kusumbe, Qianbing Wan, Junyu Chen
{"title":"Chronic dental lighting disrupts blood-retinal barrier homeostasis via vascular and inflammatory pathways.","authors":"Haiyang Sun, Shuhuai Meng, He Cai, Zhengyi Xu, Kuo Gai, Dan Meng, Yixin Shi, Feng Luo, Xibo Pei, Jian Wang, Anjali P Kusumbe, Qianbing Wan, Junyu Chen","doi":"10.1038/s41368-025-00414-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41368-025-00414-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Excessive lighting is integral to dentists' daily routines but can impair their vision, affecting personal and professional performance. Most studies focus on acute photodamage, neglecting chronic photo-injury from dental lighting and its impact on the blood-retinal barrier homeostasis. An epidemiological survey involving 14,523 individuals showed dentists had 3.6 times higher odds of vision-related issues compared to other occupations (OR = 3.639, 95% CI: 3.064-4.323). Subsequently, chronic photodamage models in rats were created to accurately simulate dental working conditions. Using systematic imaging and gene analysis, including OCT, tissue clearing technology and RNA-sequencing, dental lighting was found to disrupted both inner and outer blood-retinal barriers, reduced retinal blood vessels, and promoted perivascular macrophage recruitment. Among them, the number of capillary branches decreased sharply. Moreover, the activation of inflammatory-related pathways such as NF-κB signaling resulted in the damage of vision-related functional structures in the retina. Notably, among three dental light sources, low-intensity halogen caused minimal retinal damage, whereas blue and white LEDs significantly disrupted blood-retinal barrier homeostasis. This study explored the potential mechanism of dental lighting environment inducing the disruption of blood-retinal barrier homeostasis, and provided essential guidance for dental professionals in selecting light sources, which is conducive to reducing the risk of occupational ocular diseases among dentists.</p>","PeriodicalId":14191,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Oral Science","volume":"18 1","pages":"11"},"PeriodicalIF":17.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12902021/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146180041","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}