P75 neurotrophin receptor positively regulates the odontogenic/osteogenic differentiation of ectomesenchymal stem cells via nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway

p75NTR, a neural crest stem cell marker, is continuously expressed in mesenchymal cells during tooth development. Importantly, high expression of p75NTR in the late bell stage implicates its involvement in odontogenesis and mineralization. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying p75NTR involvement in odonto/osteogenic differentiation remain unclear. Here, we investigate the effect and potential mechanisms underlying p75NTR involvement in odonto/osteogenic differentiation. We dissected EMSCs from the first branchial arches of mice embryo and compared the proliferation and migration of p75NTR(+/+) and p75NTR(−/−)EMSCs by transwell, scratch and cell counting kit 8(CCK8)assays. The differentiation ability and the involvement of nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway were investigated through alkaline phosphatase and immunofluorescence assay, real-time PCR, and western blot. During induction of dental epithelium conditioned medium, p75NTR(+/+) EMSCs exhibited deeper Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and higher expression of odonto/osteogenic genes/proteins (e.g., dentin sialoprotein (DSPP) than p75NTR(+/+) EMSCs. Moreover, p75NTR(+/+) EMSCs exhibited higher nuclear P65 expression than p75NTR(−/−)EMSCs. Inhibition of NF-κB pathway with Bay11-7082 in p75NTR(+/+)EMSCs substantially decreased DSPP expression level. However, activation of NF-κB pathway with Bay11-7082 in p75NTR(−/−)EMSCs enhanced DSPP expression level. Thus, p75NTR possibly plays a paramount role in the proliferation and differentiation of EMSCs via NF-κB pathway.