Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Oct;26(5):851-859.
doi: 10.1007/s40368-025-01050-5. Epub 2025 May 23.

A scoping review of proteomic alterations in molar-incisor hypomineralisation: insights from enamel and salivary composition

G Sivaramakrishnan  1 , K Sridharan  2
Affiliations

A scoping review of proteomic alterations in molar-incisor hypomineralisation: insights from enamel and salivary composition

G Sivaramakrishnan et al. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2025 Oct.

Abstract

Objectives: The aetiology and treatment of molar-incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) may be further investigated by understanding the proteomic changes associated with the defect. The present scoping review aimed to systematically examine existing literature on salivary and enamel proteomics related to MIH, characterising specific proteins associated with the defect and evaluating methodologies employed in current proteomic studies.

Methods: The review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A systematic search of PUBMED, SCOPUS, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases was performed for clinical trials and observational studies published until February 2025. Inclusion criteria encompassed studies on human samples examining proteomics related to MIH with a control group. Two reviewers independently screened articles for eligibility.

Results: Six studies met the inclusion criteria. Key findings revealed significant alterations in protein composition in MIH-affected enamel and saliva, including proteins, such as chitinase 1, human serum albumin, collagen alpha 1 (I), collagen alpha 2 (I), alpha-1-antitrypsin, and dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP). In particular, MIH samples exhibited overexpression of proteins linked to inflammation and stress responses, including albumin, fibrinogen, and complement C3. Proteomic analyses highlighted the potential of salivary and enamel proteins as biomarkers for MIH, although variations in research methodologies presented challenges in establishing standardised biomarkers.

Conclusions: This review underscores the importance of proteomic analysis in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying MIH. Identifying specific proteins may enhance diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for affected children. However, substantial research gaps remain, particularly in the exploration of various proteomic sources and the dynamic nature of salivary proteins.

Keywords: Enamel defects; Hypomaturation; Hypomineralisation; Omics; Proteins.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Human ethics and consent to participate declarations: Ethics approval is not required for this study. This is not applicable for this study.

References

    1. Almuallem Z, Busuttil-Naudi A. Molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH)—an overview. Br Dent J. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2018.814 . - DOI - PubMed
    1. Amado FML, Ferreira RP, Vitorino R. One decade of salivary proteomics: current approaches and outstanding challenges. Clin Biochem. 2013;46(6):506–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2012.10.024 . - DOI - PubMed
    1. Bekes K, Mitulović G, Meißner N, Resch U, Gruber R. Saliva proteomic patterns in patients with molar incisor hypomineralization. Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):7560. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64614-z . - DOI - PubMed - PMC
    1. Chiappelli F, Covani U, Giacomelli L. Proteomics as it pertains to oral pathologies and dental research. Bioinformation. 2011;5(7):277–277. https://doi.org/10.6026/97320630005277 . - DOI - PubMed - PMC
    1. Chung CH, Levy S, Chaurand P, Carbone DP. Genomics and proteomics: emerging technologies in clinical cancer research. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2007;61(1):1–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.critrevonc.2006.06.005 . - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources