BDNF mimetic compound LM22A-4 regulates cementoblast differentiation via the TrkB–ERK/Akt signaling cascade

• BDNF mimetic compound LM22A-4 induces OPN mRNA expression in cementoblasts.
• BDNF mimetic compound LM22A-4 phosphorylates TrkB in cementoblasts.
• BDNF mimetic compound LM22A-4 phosphorylates ERK and Akt in cementoblasts.
• Blockage of those phosphorylation inhibited LM22A-4-induced OPN mRNA expression.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) activates its receptor TrkB, and promotes neuronal survival, differentiation, and synaptic functions. Furthermore, we have revealed that BDNF can also regulate cementoblast differentiation and cellular survival via TrkB–ERK/Akt signaling cascade, which, in turn, results in the induction of periodontal tissue regeneration. Recently, using in silico screening with a BDNF loop-domain pharmacophore, a small molecule BDNF mimetic, called LM22A-4 that can facilitate TrkB signaling in hippocampal neurons to prevent cell death, was identified. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of LM22A-4 on cementoblast differentiation and its molecular mechanism. LM22A-4 and BDNF stimulation was found to enhance OPN, ALPase, and OC mRNA expression in immortalized human cementoblast-like (HCEM) cells, indicating cementoblast differentiation. In addition, similar to this result, both LM22A-4 and BDNF treatment facilitated TrkB phosphorylation and TrkB binding to adaptor proteins, such as Shc, GRB2, and SOS1, indicating TrkB activation. Importantly, the downstream target ERK and Akt was also phosphorylated by LM22A-4 and BDNF stimulation. Moreover, BDNF mimetic stimulation transactivated ERK from the cytoplasm into the nuclei in HCEM cells. It is noteworthy that a tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitor, K252a, an MEK–ERK inhibitor (U0126), and a PI3Kinase–Akt inhibitor (LY294002) remarkably attenuated TrkB, ERK, and Akt phosphorylation as well as increase of OPN mRNA expression in the HCEM cells, respectively. These findings suggest that the small molecule BDNF mimetic LM22A-4 regulates cementoblast differentiation via the TrkB–ERK/Akt signaling cascade. Therefore, this small compound may lead to the development of a novel therapeutic approach for periodontal tissue regeneration.