Alteration of murine odontogenic patterning and prolongation of expression of epidermal growth factor mRNA by retinol in vitro.

Retinoids alter the patterning of murine odontogenesis in vivo and stimulate epithelial proliferation. Because odontogenesis is dependent on proliferation of mandibular epithelium, the effects of retinol on the patterning of odontogenic epithelium were studied. These experiments control for developmental stage, applied retinoid concentration and duration of exposure. Explants exposed for 24 h to 0.1 micrograms/ml of retinol exhibited enhanced odontogenesis. Day-9 mandibles exposed to retinol at 1-5 micrograms/ml had altered epithelial patterns consistent with those in previous in vivo experiments, including supernumerary epithelial buds in regions associated with supernumerary incisors in vivo. These changes were associated with a dose-dependent increase in epithelial proliferation and a prolonged expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) mRNA. Altered expression of EGF mRNA may be responsible for the disrupted pattern of the dental lamina. This is the first report of a retinoid-induced alteration in EGF mRNA expression.