LncRNAs modulating tooth development and alveolar resorption: Systematic review

Abstract

Tooth development is an intricate process that encompasses cellular activities, molecular signaling pathways, and gene expression patterns. Disruptions in any of the processes can lead to structural anomalies, impairments in function, and increased vulnerability to oral disorders. Alveolar resorption, which refers to the pathological loss of alveolar bone around teeth, poses a substantial clinical problem in periodontal disorders such as periodontitis. Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) have been implicated in the regulation of these physiological and pathological processes, and they exert their impact on gene expression through both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. However, they also interact with certain microRNAs (mi-RNAs), thereby modulating the expression of downstream genes that are involved in tooth development. An exemplar is lncRNA ZFAS1, which has been demonstrated to regulate gene expression and impact these physiological and pathological processes. As a result, lncRNAs contribute to these processes by interacting with chromatin regulators, RNA enhancers, mi-RNAs, and their modulating signaling pathways involved in tooth development and alveolar resorption. Taken together, this review explores and gives a systematic account of the recent research findings that enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that drive these processes and their potential consequences for the remodeling of teeth and bones in the oral cavity.

Keywords: Alveolar resorption; LncRNAs; Periodontitis; Tooth development.

Fig. 1

Flow diagram of the process of systematic literature search in accordance with PRISMA guidelines.

Fig. 2

Mechanism of nuclear and cytoplasmic lncRNAs regulation of tooth development and alveolar resorption: They regulate tooth development related genes, proteins and signaling pathways through: a) DNA methylation b); Act as gene promoters or repressors c) Histone modification, either by methylation or acetylation; d) Chromatin remodeling e) Act as precursors for miRNAs; f); sponging miRNA as competitive endogenous RNAs; g) mRNA stability and degradation; h) participate in alternative splicing; i) some encode small peptides; j) participate in mRNA translation.