The Role of Pericyte Migration and Osteogenesis in Periodontitis.

Abstract

A ligature-induced periodontitis model was established in wild-type and CD146; Rosamice to explore the function of pericytes in alveolar bone formation. We found that during periodontitis progression and periodontal wound healing, CD146/NG2pericytes were enriched in the periodontal tissue areas, which could migrate to the alveolar bone surface and colocalize with ALP/OCNosteoblasts. Chemokine C-X-C motif receptor 4 (CXCR4) inhibition using AMD3100 blocked CD146-Crepericyte migration and osteogenesis, as well as further exacerbated periodontitis-associated bone loss. Next, primary pericytes were sorted out by magnetic-activated cell sorting and demonstrated that C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) promotes pericyte migration and osteogenesis via CXCL12-CXCR4-Rac1 signaling. Finally, the local administration of an adeno-associated virus for Rac1 overexpression in NG2pericytes promotes osteoblast differentiation of pericytes and increases alveolar bone volume in periodontitis. Thus, our results provided the evidence that pericytes may migrate and osteogenesis via the CXCL12-CXCR4-Rac1 axis during the pathological process of periodontitis.