Abstract The dentin-pulp complex comprises mineralized dentin and the vital soft tissues encased inside dentin, i.e. odontoblasts and pulp tissue. During caries progression, the dentinal minerals are dissolved and eventually the collagenous organic matrix is degraded. However, the exact mechanisms and enzymes responsible for the organic matrix breakdown remain unknown. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a family of endopeptidases capable of degrading in concert virtually all extracellular matrix components, are expressed during normal dentin-pulp complex formation and maintenance. MMP activity has also been suggested to contribute to the organic matrix degradation during dentin caries progression and to the repair and defense reactions elicited by caries in the dentin-pulp complex cells. The aim of the study was to further elucidate the role of host MMPs in dentin caries progression and the origin of MMPs in carious dentin as well as the possible changes in MMP expression in the cells of the dentin-pulp complex in response to caries. MMP inhibitors decreased the area of dentin caries lesions in vivo, suggesting the involvement of host MMPs in dentin caries pathogenesis. When the overall MMP gene expression was examined by cDNA microarray, pooled pulp samples demonstrated a high level of MMP-13 expression, but failed to show any unequivocal changes in MMP expression due to caries. MMP-13 expression is rare among normal human adult tissues. Real-time quantitative PCR of individual pulp and odontoblast samples demonstrated a rather large variation in relative MMP-13 mRNA expression between samples, especially pulp samples. Protein expression of MMP-13 was detected in pulp and odontoblasts without any major differences between the tissues of sound and carious teeth. This was also the case with the MMP-20 (enamelysin) protein, which was demonstrated in odontoblasts and the pulp tissue of fully developed human teeth. MMP-20, MMP-8, and gelatinases (especially MMP-2) were demonstrated in human dentin, and dentinal MMPs exhibited activity against native and denatured type I collagen when released. The study demonstrates the presence of MMPs in the soft and hard tissue compartments of the dentin-pulp complex. These enzymes may also contribute to dentin caries progression and response reactions to caries.

<p><strong> </strong>Fibrotic cataracts such as anterior subcapsular cataract (ASC) are induced by transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ). The mechanism which governs TGFβ-mediated ASC has not been elucidated. What is known is that TGFβ initiates the conversion of lens epithelial cells (LECs) to myofibroblast-like cells, through a process known as epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). TGFβ-induced EMT leading to ASC has been associated with the upregulation of two matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP2 and MMP9. However, roles for either of these MMPs have yet to be established in ASC. To determine the involvement of MMP2 and MMP9 I used synthetic inhibitors in conjunction with an established <em>ex vivo </em>rat lens model initiated by TGFβ. The results demonstrated that co-culturing rat lenses with TGFβ and the matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor (MMPI), GM6001 or an MMPI specific for MMP2/9 suppressed ASC. Additionally, studies conducted on the conditioned media from these treatments revealed that TGFβ induces the cleavage of E-cadherin ectodomain which is suppressed by coculturing with either MMPI. To further delineate a role for MMP9 <em>in vivo</em>, ASC formation was examined in two models of lens specific TGFβ overexpression in the absence of functional MMP9. Adenoviral delivery of TGFβ to the anterior chamber of the eye in the absence of functional MMP9 resulted in complete suppression of ASC. Similarly, lens specific TGFβ overexpression in the absence of MMP9 suppressed ASC in 75% of mouse lenses. Additional studies determined that connective tissue growth factor is able to mediate ASC, albeit to a lesser degree than TGFβ.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)