Japanese researchers are poised to launch a clinical trial in 2024 for a medicine that could potentially enable humans to regrow teeth. Building on a 2021 study focusing on animals, where medicine targeting the protein produced by the USAG-1 gene demonstrated the potential to increase tooth growth, the team is turning its attention to human applications. The goal is to have this tooth regrowth medicine available for general use by 2030.
Lead researcher Katsu Takahashi, head of the dentistry and oral surgery department at the Medical Research Institute Kitano Hospital in Osaka, expressed enthusiasm for the idea of growing new teeth, a dream for dentists. Takahashi’s research has centered on the genetic factors influencing teeth growth, particularly the role of genes. Their findings revealed that the USAG-1 protein could inhibit tooth growth in mice, and by developing medication to block this protein, they successfully induced new tooth growth in mice.
A 2023 paper published in Regenerative Therapy highlights the limited treatment options for tooth regrowth but suggests that the anti-USAG-1 antibody treatment in mice could represent a significant breakthrough for addressing tooth anomalies in humans. Anodontia, a genetic condition preventing a complete set of teeth from developing, affects around 1 percent of humans, offering hope for potential tooth regrowth beyond mouse trials.
Takahashi’s earlier research suggests that humans already possess the beginnings of a third set of teeth in their mouths. This is most evident in the 1 percent of people with hyperdontia, a condition characterized by the growth of more than a full set of teeth. Activating this third set of dental buds through gene manipulation could potentially promote tooth regrowth.
Pending a successful clinical trial, the possibility of enhanced tooth regrowth in humans could become a reality as early as 2030.
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