rexresearch
Sherif EL SHATKAWY, et al.
Dentin Regeneration
https://trial.medpath.com/news/revolutionary-protein-gel-successfully-regenerates-tooth-enamel-in-laboratory-tests
Revolutionary Protein Gel Successfully Regenerates Tooth Enamel in Laboratory Tests
Scientists from the University of Nottingham have developed a breakthrough protein-based gel that can regenerate tooth enamel through epitaxial mineralization, forming new mineral deposits that fuse with existing tissue.
The biomimetic elastin-like recombinamer (ELR) gel demonstrated superior resistance to wear, fracture and acid attack compared to natural enamel in laboratory tests using extracted human molars.
The single-application treatment could transform dental care by enabling biological repair of enamel erosion (search)Search disease and cavities, with the startup company Mintech-Bio (search)Search term planning to launch the first product next year.
The research team created a biomimetic elastin-like recombinamer (ELR) gel that forms a thin layer over teeth and recruits calcium and phosphate ions from saliva to build new enamel through epitaxial mineralization. When applied to teeth, the gel seeps into bone to patch holes and cracks while forming scaffolding that attracts ions to promote further mineral growth.
"When our material is applied to demineralized or eroded enamel, or exposed dentine, the material promotes the growth of crystals in an integrated and organized manner, recovering the architecture of our natural healthy enamel," said lead author Dr. Abshar Hasan, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Nottingham...
The researchers engineered a tunable and resilient supramolecular matrix that imitates the structure and function of the enamel-developing matrix. This matrix remains stable when applied as a coating and can trigger epitaxial growth of apatite nanocrystals (search)Search target, recreating the microarchitecture of different anatomical regions of enamel.
Rigorous Laboratory Testing Demonstrates Superior Performance
The team conducted comprehensive testing using extracted human molars as an ex vivo model. They first etched enamel or dentine surfaces with acid to mimic different stages of tooth erosion, then applied a single coating of the ELR gel and allowed it to dry. The teeth were immersed in controlled mineralization baths replicating saliva's ionic environment for approximately 10 days.
Through electron microscopy, researchers confirmed that new apatite crystals grew seamlessly from underlying enamel or dentine, showing continuous lattice alignment invisible to the naked eye. Nanoindentation tests revealed that remineralized enamel was nearly identical to healthy enamel in mechanical properties.
Most remarkably, when subjected to simulated daily wear and tear—including continuous electric-toothbrush abrasion equivalent to about a year of brushing, plus chewing and grinding—the treated teeth demonstrated superior resistance to wear, fracture and acid attack compared to natural enamel. Tests in both artificial and real human saliva produced identical results...
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-58373-6
Scientific Reports volume 16, Article number: 28625 (2026)
Biomimetic mineralization of electrospun elastin-like recombinamer nanofibers
Caixia Lan, et al.
[ PDF ]
Abstract -- One of the key factors for hard tissue regeneration is to develop mineralized fibrous scaffolds. These scaffolds can provide a micro-environment resembling the structure and mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of hard tissues favorable for subsequent cell responses and tissue regeneration. During biomineralization, amorphous precursor phases of calcium phosphate infiltrate into preformed collagen fibrils, and upon crystallization, the collagen fibrils are embedded with oriented hydroxyapatite (HA) nanocrystals. We previously demonstrated that hydrogels made of elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) can template mineralization where minerals were selectively deposited into their frameworks. In this work, we focus on mimicking the nanostructure of the mineralized tissues, namely the intra- and extrafibrillar mineralized collagen fibrils, using the synthetic ELRs. We first electrospun the ELRs into nanofibers and then biomimetically mineralized them via the polymer-induced liquid-precursor (PILP) process. We tested two different ELRs one with a peptide sequence derived from the salivary protein statherin (st-ELR) and a reference one lacking the statherin sequence (ref-ELR). X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and Energy-dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS) verified the mineral phase in the ELR nanofibers was HA. Scanning and Transmission Electorn Microscopy (SEM and TEM) analyses revealed that HA nanocrystals were infiltrated into and randomly oriented within the ELR nanofibers. The elastic modulus and hardness of the mineralized ELR nanofibers was increased significantly compared to unmineralized ELR. The mineralized nanofibers promoted the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of pre-osteoblasts. These results support that a scaffold obtained using this biomimetic strategy and made of mineralized ELR electrospun nanofibers with controlled mineralization and improved mechanical properties has great potential for being used in hard tissue regeneration, such as craniofacial and periodontal and perimplant regeneration as well as tertiary dentin regeneration, as it mimics the structure and mechanical properties of collagen-HA nanocomposites.
US20190135897 -- Crystal Structures Comprising Elastin-Like Peptides
The present invention relates to new biomimetic mineralized apatite structures. The present invention also relates to processes for the production of new biomimetic mineralized apatite structures based on natural and synthetic protein scaffolds. In particular, the invention provides synthetic crystal having a hierarchical structure formed on an elastin-like polypeptide membrane or hydrogel. The invention also provides methods of making such crystals, both in vivo and in vitro, as well as kits comprising membranes or hydrogels with cross-linking agents and/or mineralization solutions. The invention also provides the use of such structures in methods of treatment.
US12735455 -- SUBSTRATES COMPRISING ELASTIN-LIKE POLYPEPTIDES AND CALCIUM IONS
The present invention relates to a hemostatic elastin-like polypeptide comprising a glutamine embedded in a Q-block sequence and, optionally, a lysine embedded in a K-block sequence. Under physiological setting, the Q-block sequence and the K-block sequence are recognized by human transglutaminase factor XIIIa and crosslinked with fibrin networks. The present invention also relates to the medical use of the polypeptide, to a nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide, to an expression vector comprising the nucleic acid sequence, and to a cell comprising the nucleic acid sequence or the expression vector.
Inventor: ELSHARKAWY SHERIF AHMED ABDELSALAM, CHAVARRIA ALVARO MATA [US]
Applicant: MINTECH V LLC
CN109288685 -- Method and application for inducing fluoro-calcium silicate biomimetic mineralization based on amelogenin
The invention discloses a method and an application for inducing fluoro-calcium silicate biomimetic mineralization based on amelogenin, and belongs to the field of biomedical materials. Fluoro-calciumsilicate in mineralizing solution is induced by the amelogenin to form a biomimetic mineralization material. By starting with the self-assembly capacity of the amelogenin, the fluoro-calcium silicateserves as an inorganic bioactive material in the biomimetic mineralizing solution to build nano-sized and micron-sized biomimetic hard tissue mineralization layers. The formed mineralization layers are superior to mineralization layers formed by pure inorganic ceramic bioactive materials, and grain crystals are orderly arranged and grow in an orientated manner along a sizing shaft to form a nano-apatite grain crystal structure similar to bones and teeth.
US2018236130 -- AMELOGENIN-CHITOSAN HYDROGEL FOR DENTIN HYPERSENSITIVITY
A method to regrow a protective layer over exposed/demineralized dentin that includes a step of identifying a subject having exposed/demineralized dentin. The demineralized dentin is contacted with a remineralization composition that includes an amelogenin and derived peptides, a chitosan, water, and a sufficient amount of a pH adjusting component such that the composition has a pH greater than about 6.0 such that dentinal tubules are occluded with apatite crystals and enamel is regrown on the dentinal tubules.
https://www.mintech.bio/
Mint Tech
Demineralized enamel, with structural and functional damage ... Before / After ... Enamel remineralized with Mintech-Bio technology, showing functional structures regenerated...
https://pubs.acs.org/abseba/article/7/11/5064/364151/De-Novo-Synthesis-of-Elastin-like-Polypeptides
De Novo Synthesis of Elastin-like Polypeptides (ELPs): An Applied Overview on the Current Experimental Techniques
Ioannis G. Riziotis
[ PDF ]
Abstract -- Elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) are protein-based biopolymers genetically produced from polypeptides composed of a repeating pentapeptide sequence V–P–G–X–G. The inherent properties of recombinant ELPs, such as smart nature, controlled sequence complexity, physicochemical properties, and biocompatibility, make these polymers suitable for use in nanobiotechnological applications, as biofunctionalized scaffolds for tissue-engineering purposes and drug delivery. In this work, we report the design and synthesis of two elastomeric self-assembling polypeptides (ELPs) that mimic the endogenous human tropoelastin. Using molecular biology techniques, two artificial genes that encode two ELP concatemers of approximate molecular mass 60 kDa, one of them carrying biotin-binding peptide motifs, were constructed. These motifs could facilitate biofunctionalization of the ELPs through tethering biotinylated factors, such as growth factors. The ELPs were heterologously overexpressed in E. coli and subsequently purified in two steps: a nonchromatographic technique by organic solvent extraction, followed by nickel−nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) affinity chromatography. The characterization of the biochemical properties and biocompatibility of ELPs was also performed in this study. The ELP carrying the biotin-binding motifs was tested for its capability to bind biotin, and indeed, it was observed that it can bind biotinylated proteins specifically. Additionally, results concerning the cytotoxicity of the ELPs exhibited excellent compatibility of the ELPs with mammalian cells in vitro. We anticipate that these ELPs can be used as components of a scaffold that mimics the extracellular matrix (ECM) for the regeneration of endogenously highly elastic tissues.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jbecher_biomimetic-supramolecular-protein-matrix-activity-7395213882195218432-0LMo
New gel repairs and rebuilds tooth enamel with natural growth
The protein-based gel uses the human body’s natural growth processes to form a durable coating and fill in small cavities in teeth. After being coated on a target tooth’s surface, it extracts calcium and phosphate ions from saliva to encourage new growth of minerals. These minerals then merge with the existing tooth, effectively allowing it to regrow lost enamel. Lab experiments showed that a thin, protective layer formed within just weeks of applying the gel to extracted human molar teeth.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-64982-y
Nature Communications volume 16, Article number: 9434 (2025)
Biomimetic supramolecular protein matrix restores structure and properties of human dental enamel
Abshar Hasan, et al
Abstract -- Tooth enamel is characterised by an intricate hierarchical organization of apatite nanocrystals that bestows high stiffness, hardness, and fracture toughness. However, enamel does not possess the ability to regenerate, and achieving the artificial restoration of its microstructure and mechanical properties in clinical settings has proven challenging. To tackle this issue, we engineer a tuneable and resilient supramolecular matrix based on elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs) that imitates the structure and function of the enamel-developing matrix. When applied as a coating on the surface of teeth exhibiting different levels of erosion, the matrix is stable and can trigger epitaxial growth of apatite nanocrystals, recreating the microarchitecture of the different anatomical regions of enamel and restoring the mechanical properties. The study demonstrates the translational potential of our mineralising technology for treating loss of enamel in clinical settings such as the treatment of enamel erosion and dental hypersensitivity.
https://www.pnnl.gov/publications/how-proteins-form-tooth-enamel
How Proteins Form Tooth Enamel
Protein ribbons are highly active scaffolds for apatite formation...New research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA from an international collaboration between Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and University of Washington scientists, studied how recently identified amelogenin ribbons interacted with an amorphous mineral precursor of apatite....
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shuo-Chen-6
Shuo Chen -- The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio