Long noncoding RNAs related to the odontogenic potential of dental mesenchymal cells in mice

• This study investigated the lncRNAs related with odontogenic potential for the first time.
• The loss of odontogenic potential was reflected by the change in lncRNA profiles in the cultured dental mesenchymal cells.
• Meg3, Malat1, Xist, and Dlx1as were potentially involved in the loss of odontogenic potential in dental mesenchymal cells.
• The expression of Dlx1as negatively correlated with that of Dlx1 in dental mesenchymal cells and tissues.

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study is to identify the lncRNAs that are associated with the odontogenic potential in mouse dental mesenchymal cells.DesignThe odontogenic potential of dental mesenchymal cells was found to be lost in the course of in vitro culture, so the lncRNA profiles were subsequently compared between freshly-isolated and cultured dental mesenchymal cells using RNA-sequencing. A co-expression analysis of differentially expressed lncRNAs and coding RNAs was performed to understand their potential functions. The expression of several selected lncRNAs was also examined in developing tooth germs.ResultsCompared with cultured dental mesenchymal cells, 108 lncRNAs were upregulated and 36 lncRNAs were downregulated in freshly-isolated dental mesenchymal cells. Coding genes correlated with the lncRNAs were mainly associated with DNA and protein metabolic processes and cytoskeletal anchorage. Meg3, Malat1, Xist, and Dlx1as were significantly downregulated in cultured dental mesenchymal cells but were upregulated in odontogenic dental mesenchymal tissues. Moreover, the levels of Dlx1as were negatively correlated with that of Dlx1 in dental mesenchymal cells and dental mesenchymal tissues.ConclusionsThe lncRNA profiles of dental mesenchymal cells are significantly changed during culturing, and the dysregulation of lncRNAs is associated with the loss of odontogenic potential.