Effects of enamel matrix proteins on adherence, proliferation and migration of epithelial cells: A real-time in vitro study

Enamel matrix derivative (EMD) can mimic odontogenic effects by inducing the proliferation and differentiation of connective tissue progenitor cells, stimulating bone growth and arresting epithelial cells migration. To the best of our knowledge, there is no data indicating that any active component of EMD reduces epithelial cell viability. The present study examines the impact of commercial lyophilized EMD, porcine recombinant amelogenin (prAMEL; 21.3 kDa) and tyrosine-rich amelogenin peptide (TRAP) on the adherence, proliferation and migration of human epithelial cells in real-time. The tongue carcinoma cell line SCC-25 was stimulated with EMD, porcine recombinant AMEL and TRAP, at concentrations of 12.5, 25 and 50 µg/ml. Cell adherence, migration and proliferation were monitored in real-time using the xCELLigence system. No significant effects of EMD on the morphology, adhesion, proliferation and migration of SCC-25 cells were observed. However, porcine recombinant AMEL had a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on SCC-25 cell proliferation and migration. Predominantly, no notable differences were found between control and TRAP-treated cells in terms of cell adhesion and migration, a decrease in proliferation was observed, but this was not statistically significant. EMD and its active components do not increase the tongue cancer cell viability.