DEVELOPMENT OF A MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY AGAINST DENTIN PHOSPHOPHORYN - ATOOL TO STUDY ODONTOBLASTIC ACTIVITY

The role played by phosphophoryn, one of the major noncollagenous prot eins of dentin extracellular matrix, in the mineralization process has not been fully characterized. The purpose of our work was to produce monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against dentin phosphophoryn and to test their reactivity with primary culture of odontoblasts. Dentin phosphop horyn (DPP) was extracted after the mechanical dissociation of teeth a nd dialyzed against guanidine and EDTA solutions followed by CaCl2 pre cipitation. These extracts were characterized by SDS-PAGE and staining with Coomassie blue and Stains-All. After immunization of mice with t hese extracts, we produced MAb 7G4, which reacted with dentin phosphop horyn as revealed by Western blot. MAb 7G4 reactivity was tested again st a primary culture of pig odontoblasts, revealing filaments specific ally stained by the anti-DPP antibody. This antibody will be of great interest to study the mineralization process and dental pulp reaction after capping with various calcium phosphate materials.