Abstract
Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have great potential for use in tissue engineering (TE)-based dental treatments. Electrical stimulation (EStim) has been shown to influence cellular functions that could play an important role in the success of TE treatments. Despite many recent studies focused on DPSCs, few have investigated the effect EStim has on these cells. The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of direct current (DC) EStim on osteo-/odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs. To do so cells were isolated from male Sprague Dawley rats (7–8 weeks old), and phenotype characterization and multilineage differentiation analysis were conducted to verify their “stemness.” Different voltages of DC EStim were administrated 1 h/day for 7 days, and the effect of EStim on DPSC osteo-/odontogenic differentiation was assessed by measuring calcium and collagen deposition, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and expression of osteo- and odontogenic marker genes at days 7 and 14 of culture. We found that while 10 and 50 mV/mm of EStim had no effect on cell number or metabolic activity, 100 mV/mm caused a significant reduction in cell number, and 150 mV/mm resulted in cell death. Despite increased gene expression of osteo-/odontogenic gene markers, Osteocalcin, RunX2, BSP, and DMP1, at day 7 in EStim treated cells, 50 mV/mm of EStim decreased collagen deposition and ALP activity at both time points, and calcium deposition was found to be lower at day 14. In conclusion, under the conditions tested, EStim appears to impair DPSC osteo-/odontogenic differentiation. Additional studies are needed to further characterize and understand the mechanisms involved in DPSC response to EStim, with an eye toward its potential use in TE-based dental treatments.
Highlights
Alveolar bone, one of the major structures of the periodontium, provides important structural support for teeth and dental implants
We investigated the effects Electrical stimulation (EStim) has on osteo-/ odontogenic potential of Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), with an eye toward its potential use in combination with tissue engineering (TE) approaches for improving outcomes in dental treatments
As was seen in previous studies on BM-mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and AT-MSCs, 10 mV/mm of EStim was found to have no significant effect on DPSC number and metabolic activity
Summary
One of the major structures of the periodontium, provides important structural support for teeth and dental implants. An increasing number of studies support the use of tissue engineering (TE) as an excellent alternative treatment option for bone reconstruction in the fields of dentistry and medicine.
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