PIEZO1 Promotes Odontoblast-Mediated Reactionary Dentinogenesis via SEMA3A

Abstract

Located at the interface of the dentin–pulp complex, the odontoblasts are specialized cells responsible for dentin synthesis and nociceptive signal detection in response to external stimuli. Recent studies have shown that the mechanosensitive ion channel PIEZO1 is involved in bone formation and remodeling through the influx of calcium ions, and it is abundantly expressed in odontoblasts. However, the specific role of PIEZO1 in reactionary dentinogenesis and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we found intense PIEZO1 expression in the plasma membrane and cytoplasm of odontoblasts in healthy human third molars, mouse mandibular molars, and human odontoblast-like cells (hOBLCs). In hOBLCs, PIEZO1 positively regulated DSPP, DMP1, and COL1A1 expression through the Ca²⁺/PI3K-Akt/SEMA3A signaling pathway. In addition, exogenous SEMA3A supplementation effectively reversed reduced mineralization capacity in PIEZO1-knockdown hOBLCs. In vivo, Piezo1 expression peaked at day 7 and returned to baseline at day 21 in a wild-type mice dentin injury model, with Sema3a presenting a similar expression pattern. To investigate the specific role of PIEZO1 in odontoblast-mediated reactionary dentinogenesis, mice with a conditional knockout of Piezo1 in odontoblasts were generated, and no significant differences in teeth phenotypes were observed between the control and conditional knockout (cKO) mice. Nevertheless, cKO mice exhibited reduced reactionary dentin formation and decreased Sema3a and Dsp positive staining after dentin injury, indicating impaired dental pulp repair by odontoblasts. In summary, these findings suggest that PIEZO1 enhances the mineralization capacity of hOBLCs in vitro via the Ca²⁺/PI3K-Akt/SEMA3A signaling pathway and contributes to reactionary dentinogenesis in vivo.