• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.423-433
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• 2024

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are a type of adult stem cell present in the dental pulp tissue. They possess a higher proliferative capacity than bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Their ease of collection from patients makes them well-suited for tissue engineering applications, such as tooth and nerve regeneration. Chios gum mastic (CGM), a resin extracted from the stems and leaves of Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia, has garnered attention for its potential in tissue regeneration. This study aims to confirm alterations in cell proliferation rates and induce differentiation in human DPSCs (hDPSCs) through CGM treatment, a substance known for effectively promoting odontogenic differentiation. Administration of CGM to hDPSC cells was followed by an assessment of cell survival, proliferation, and odontogenic differentiation through protein and gene analysis. The study revealed that hDPSCs exhibited low sensitivity to CGM toxicity. CGM treatment induced cell proliferation by activating cell-cycle proteins through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Additionally, the study demonstrated that CGM enhances alkaline phosphatase activation by upregulating the expression of collagen type I, a representative matrix protein of dentin. This activation of markers associated with odontogenic and bone differentiation ultimately facilitated the mineralization of hDPSCs. This study concludes that CGM, as a natural substance, fosters the cell cycle and cell proliferation in hDPSCs. Furthermore, it triggers the transcription of odontogenic and osteogenic markers, thereby facilitating odontogenic differentiation.

• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• 제15권4호
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• pp.384-394
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• 2022

Background and Objectives: Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) play an important role in the repair of tooth injuries. Electrogenic sodium bicarbonate cotransporter 1 (NBCe1) is a Na⁺-coupled HCO₃^- transporter encoded by the solute carrier 4A4 (SLC4A4) gene and plays a crucial role in maintaining the pH of DPSCs. Our previous research confirmed that NBCe1 is highly expressed in odontoblasts during the development of the tooth germ. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of NBCe1 on odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs and further clarify the underlying mechanisms. Methods and Results: DPSCs were isolated and identified, and the selective NBCe1 inhibitor S0859 was used to treat DPSCs. We used a cell counting Kit-8 assay to detect cell proliferative ability, and intracellular pH was assessed using confocal microscopy. Odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs was analyzed using real-time PCR and Alizarin Red S staining, and the NF-κB pathway was assessed using western blotting. Our results indicated that 10 µM S0859 was the optimal concentration for DPSC induction. Intracellular pH was decreased upon treatment with S0859. The mRNA expressions of DSPP, DMP1, RUNX2, OCN, and OPN were upregulated in the NBCe1 inhibited group compared to the controls. Moreover, NBCe1 inhibition significantly activated the NF-κB pathway, and a NF-κB inhibitor reduced the effect of NBCe1 on DPSC differentiation. Conclusions: NBCe1 inhibition significantly promotes odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs, and this process may be regulated by activating the NF-κB signaling pathway.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.18.1-18.10
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (CTHRC1), which is involved in vascular remodeling and bone formation, can stimulate odontogenic differentiation and angiogenesis when administered to human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). Materials and Methods: The viability of hDPSCs upon exposure to CTHRC1 was assessed with the WST-1 assay. CTHRC1 doses of 5, 10, and 20 ㎍/mL were administered to hDPSCs. Reverse-transcription polymerase reaction was used to detect dentin sialophosphoprotein, dentin matrix protein 1, vascular endothelial growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor 2. The formation of mineralization nodules was evaluated using Alizarin red. A scratch wound assay was conducted to evaluate the effect of CTHRC1 on cell migration. Data were analyzed using 1-way analysis of variance followed by the Tukey post hoc test. The threshold for statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: CTHRC1 doses of 5, 10, and 20 ㎍/mL had no significant effect on the viability of hDPSCs. Mineralized nodules were formed and odontogenic markers were upregulated, indicating that CTHRC1 promoted odontogenic differentiation. Scratch wound assays demonstrated that CTHRC1 significantly enhanced the migration of hDPSCs. Conclusions: CTHRC1 promoted odontogenic differentiation and mineralization in hDPSCs.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.187-195
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• 2008

Reparative dentine formation requires newly differentiated odontoblast-like cells. Therefore, identification of the molecule that stimulates the odontogenic differentiation of precursor cells in the tooth pulp will be helpful for the development of strategies to repair damaged pulp. In this study, we examined the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the odontogenic differentiation of MDPC-23 cells, a mouse odontoblast-like cell line derived from dental papilla, and primary cultured rat dental papilla cells (RDPCs). NAC (1-30 mM) suppressed production of reactive oxygen species in MDPC-23 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Although 5 to 20 mM NAC did not alter MDPC-23 cell proliferation, 1 or 30 mM NAC significantly inhibited it. NAC enhanced mineralized nodule formation and the expression of several odontoblast differentiation-associated genes in both RDPCs and MDPC-23. This NAC stimulatory effect was significant, even at concentrations lower than 1 mM. However, NAC did not stimulate expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2, -4, or -7, which are known to enhance odontogenic differentiation. Since reactive oxygen species are also involved in the pulp toxicity of resin-based restorative materials, these results suggest that NAC may be a promising candidate for supplementation of dental restorative materials in order to enhance reparative dentine formation.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.167-173
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• 2012

This study investigated the genes involved in the differentiation of odontoblasts derived from human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). hDPSCs isolated from human tooth pulp were validated by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS). After odontogenic induction, hDPSCs were analyzed investigated by Alizaline red-S staining, ALP assay, ALP staining and RT-PCR. Differential display-polymerase chain reaction (DD-PCR) was performed to screen differentially expressed genes involved in the differentiation of hDPSCs. By FACS analysis, the stem cell markers CD24 and CD44 were found to be highly expressed in hDPSCs. When hDPSCs were treated with agents such as ${\beta}$-glycerophosphate (${\beta}$-GP) and ascorbic acid (AA), nodule formation was exhibited within six weeks. The ALP activity of hDPSCs was found to elevate over time, with a detectable up-regulation at 14 days after odontogenic induction. RT-PCR analysis revealed that dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) and osteocalcin (OC) expression had increased in a time-dependent manner in the induction culture. Through the use of DD-PCR, several genes were differentially detected following the odontogenic induction. These results suggest that these genes may possibly be linked to a variety of cellular process during odontogenesis. Furthermore, the characterization of these regulated genes during odontogenic induction will likely provide valuable new insights into the functions of odontoblasts.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제26권5호
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• pp.470-480
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• 2000

The epithelium of odontogenic cyst seems to be in a specific status of cellular proliferation and cytodifferentiation. With the identification of various genes, which play essential roles in the specific stages of cellular proliferation and differentiation, the cellular conditions of odontogenic cyst epithelium need to be reevaluated. This study aimed to estimate the degree of proliferating, differentiating and apoptotic activities of odontogenic cyst epithelium using antisera of PCNA, Ki-67, MPM-2, transglutaminase C, heat shock protein 70 and $ApopTag$^{(R)}$. method in 19 cases of odontogenic cysts. Cellular changes of the cyst epithelium were measured by intensity of each immunohistochemical staining. Results were as follows: 1. The proliferating activity of the cyst epithelium was slightly lower than that of normal oral mucosal epithelium, with the use of primary antibodies against PCNA, Ki-67, and MPM-2. And the proliferating activity of the epithelium in OKC group was even higher than that of the epithelium in non-OKC group. 2. The odontogenic cysts showed weakly positive reaction with transglutaminase C, but strongly positive reaction with HSP 70. 3. Occasionally, only a few apoptotic cell was observed in the superficial keratin layer of OKC. 4. The hyperplastic cyst epithelium infiltrated with mild inflammatory cells showed diffusely positive reaction with different proliferating factors. From the above results, we presumed that the endogenous proliferating and differentiating activity of the cyst epithelium was slightly lower than that of normal oral mucosal epithelium, and also supposed that the cyst epithelium could be reactivated for the further proliferation by the exogenous factors, such as inflammatory reaction and any chemicophysical irritations.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.37-45
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• 2022

The aim of the present study was to investigate the physiological role of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) associated with odontogenic differentiation during tooth development in mice. Mouse dental papilla cell-23 (MDPC-23) cells cultured in differentiation media were stimulated with the specific NAMPT inhibitor, FK866, and Visfatin (NAMPT) for up to 10 days. The cells were evaluated after 0, 4, 7, and 10 days. Cell viability was measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The mineralization assay was performed by staining MDPC-23 cells with Alizarin Red S solution. After cultivation, MDPC-23 cells were harvested for quantitative PCR or Western blotting. Analysis of variance was performed using StatView 5.0 software (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The expression of NAMPT increased during the differentiation of murine odontoblast-like MDPC-23 cells. Furthermore, the up-regulation of NAMPT promoted odontogenic differentiation and accelerated mineralization through an increase in representative odontoblastic biomarkers, such as dentin sialophosphoprotein, dentin matrix protein-1, and alkaline phosphatase in MDPC-23 cells. However, treatment of the cells with the NAMPT inhibitor, FK866, attenuated odontogenic differentiation, as evidenced by the suppression of odontoblastic biomarkers. These data indicate that NAMPT regulated odontoblastic differentiation through the regulation of odontoblastic biomarkers. The increase in NAMPT expression in odontoblasts was closely related to the formation of the extracellular matrix and dentin via the Runx signaling pathway. Therefore, these data suggest that NAMPT is a critical regulator of odontoblast differentiation during tooth development.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.55-62
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• 2013

Bone tissue engineering is one of the important therapeutic approaches to the regeneration of bones in the entire field of regeneration medicine. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are actively discussed as material for bone tissue engineering due to their ability to differentiate into autologous bone. MSCs are able to differentiate into different lineages: osteo/odontogenic, adipogenic, and neurogenic. The tissue of origin for MSCs defines them as bone marrow-derived stem cells, adipose tissue-derived stem cells, and, among many others, dental stem cells. According to the tissue of origin, DSCs are further stratified into dental pulp stem cells, periodontal ligament stem cells, stem cells from apical papilla, stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth, dental follicle precursor cells, and dental papilla cells. There are numerous in vitro/in vivo reports suggesting successful mineralization potential or osteo/odontogenic ability of MSCs. Still, there is further need for the optimization of MSCs-based tissue engineering methods, and the introduction of genes related to osteo/odontogenic differentiation into MSCs might aid in the process. In this review, articles that reported enhanced osteo/odontogenic differentiation with gene introduction into MSCs will be discussed to provide a background for successful bone tissue engineering using MSCs with artificially introduced genes.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.142-148
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• 2012

Objectives: We analyzed gene-expression profiles after 14 day odontogenic induction of human dental pulp cells (DPCs) using a DNA microarray and sought candidate genes possibly associated with mineralization. Materials and Methods: Induced human dental pulp cells were obtained by culturing DPCs in odontogenic induction medium (OM) for 14 day. Cells exposed to normal culture medium were used as controls. Total RNA was extracted from cells and analyzed by microarray analysis and the key results were confirmed selectively by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We also performed a gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of the microarray data. Results: Six hundred and five genes among the 47,320 probes on the BeadChip differed by a factor of more than two-fold in the induced cells. Of these, 217 genes were upregulated, and 388 were down-regulated. GSEA revealed that in the induced cells, genes implicated in Apoptosis and Signaling by wingless MMTV integration (Wnt) were significantly upregulated. Conclusions: Genes implicated in Apoptosis and Signaling by Wnt are highly connected to the differentiation of dental pulp cells into odontoblast.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.319-322
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of the width-to-length ratio for the differentiation of ameloblastomas and odontogenic keratocysts in the body of the mandible. Materials and Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed 9 patients with ameloblastomas and 9 patients with odontogenic keratocysts using cone-beam computed tomography. The width-to-length ratio was determined by measuring the ratio between the greatest buccolingual dimension and the greatest perpendicular anteroposterior dimension of the lesion on the axial view. One-way analysis of variance was used to examine the difference in the width-to-length ratio between the 2 types of lesions. Statistical significance was tested at P<0.05. Results: Ameloblastomas showed a mean width-to-length ratio of 0.64, whereas odontogenic keratocysts showed a mean width-to-length ratio of 0.41. The cut-off value with which the 2 types of lesions were differentiated was 0.5. The width-to-length ratios of ameloblastomas were significantly higher than those of odontogenic keratocysts (P<0.05). Conclusion: The width-to-length ratio might be used to differentiate between ameloblastomas and odontogenic keratocysts.