Identification of proteins with potential osteogenic activity present in the water-soluble matrix proteins from crassostrea gigas nacre using a proteomic approach

• Published in: The Scientific World Journal
• Main Authors: Oliveira, Daniel, Silva, Tome S., Cordeiro, Odete D., Cavaco, Sofia I., Simes, Dina
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Publishing Corporation 2012
• Subjects: Oyster pinctada-fucata; Tenascin-C; Organic matrix; Cathepsin-K; Cysteine proteinases; Bone-resorption; Cystatin-C; In-Vivo; Pacific oyster; Stefin-A; Pacific; Crassostrea gigas
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/12065; https://doi.org/10.1100/2012/765909

Nacre, when implanted in vivo in bones of dogs, sheep, mice, and humans, induces a biological response that includes integration and osteogenic activity on the host tissue that seems to be activated by a set of proteins present in the nacre water-soluble matrix (WSM). We describe here an experimental approach that can accurately identify the proteins present in the WSM of shell mollusk nacre. Four proteins (three gigasin-2 isoforms and a cystatin A2) were for the first time identified in WSM of Crassostrea gigas nacre using 2DE and LC-MS/MS for protein identification. These proteins are thought to be involved in bone remodeling processes and could be responsible for the biocompatibility shown between bone and nacre grafts. These results represent a contribution to the study of shell biomineralization process and opens new perspectives for the development of new nacre biomaterials for orthopedic applications. Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) [SFRH/BD/41392/2007]