Comparisons between the effect of nano patterns on pulpal stem cells from supplementary tooth when differentiation into osteogenic cells and adipose cells

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have several differentiation potentials that are multi-potent. Studies about cell differentiation mechanism can provide insights for regenerative therapeutics and tissue engineering. Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) are a type of mesenchymal stem cells and have the potency of cell differentiation into osteogenic and adipogenic cells. Supernumerary tooth are normally discarded but able to reuse as a resource of hDPSCs without an ethical issue. Recently, various nanoscale topographic devices are designed to control stem cell fate. Different cell arrangements and/or contacts may change the secretion of adhesion molecules which can regulate the cell morphology, and the changes are related to cell migration, function, polarity and differentiation. In present study, hDPSCs from supernumerary tooth were isolated and characterized, then the effect of 350-nm nanoscale ridge/groove pattern arrayed surface on osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of hDPSCs were investigated. After 2 to 3 passaged, hDPSCs are characterized by FACS and positive for surface markers of MSCs (CD29, CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105) and negative for surface markers of hematopoietic cells (CD14, CD31, CD34, CD45, CD117, HLA-DR). To investigate the effect of the nanoscale pattern arrayed surface on osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation, lineage specific staining and Real-time PCR are conducted after differentiation induction. The results show that the nanoscale ridge/groove pattern arrayed surface have positive effect on adipogenic differentiation of hDPSC from supernumerary tooth, while have no effect on osteogenic differentiation. Interestingly, the nanoscale ridge/groove pattern arrayed surface enhances more with differentiation into adipogenic lineage at the early induction stage than late stage. In conclusion, the nanoscale ridge/groove pattern arrayed surface can be used to enhance adipogenic differentiation of DPSCs derived from supernumerary tooth. The results above provide an improved understanding of the effects of topography on cell differentiation as well as the potential use of supernumerary tooth in the field of regenerative medicine or dentistry.