Experiments have shown that USAG-1 deficiency causes overgrowth of teeth in animal models. Researchers from Kyoto University in Japan have suggested that an antibody against USAG-1 may stimulate the growth of dormant teeth in people suffering from dental agenesis. Although humans were thought to have only two sets of teeth (deciduous and permanent), “dormant germs” of a third set have recently been discovered. “We want to do something to help those who suffer from the loss or absence of teeth. Although there is currently no treatment that would allow a permanent cure, we believe that people have high hopes for teeth growth,” Katsu told The Mainichi Takahashi, co-author of the study and director of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Kitano Hospital (Osaka). Will it be available on the market by 2030? To confirm their hypothesis, the Japanese researchers conducted several in vivo tests on mice and ferrets, the most recent of which dates back to last year. The trials assessed the effectiveness and safety of a series of anti-UCAG-1 antibodies in causing excess tooth growth. More specifically, the antibodies blocked the interaction of USAG-1 with BMP and Wnt. As a result, animals exhibited reduced fertility and survival rates using the Wnt pathway, given its involvement in skeletal development from the embryonic stage. In contrast, for the BMP pathway, a single drug administration was sufficient to form a third-generation supernumerary tooth.
