Biomechanical Modulation of Dental Pulp Stem Cell (DPSC) Properties for Soft Tissue Engineering
Dental pulp regeneration strategies frequently result in hard tissue formation and pulp obliteration. The aim of this study was to investigate whether dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) can be directed toward soft tissue differentiation by extracellular elasticity. STRO-1-positive human dental pulp cell...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Bioengineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/10/3/323 |
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| author | Tara Gross Martin Philipp Dieterle Kirstin Vach Markus Joerg Altenburger Elmar Hellwig Susanne Proksch |
| author_facet | Tara Gross Martin Philipp Dieterle Kirstin Vach Markus Joerg Altenburger Elmar Hellwig Susanne Proksch |
| author_sort | Tara Gross |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Dental pulp regeneration strategies frequently result in hard tissue formation and pulp obliteration. The aim of this study was to investigate whether dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) can be directed toward soft tissue differentiation by extracellular elasticity. STRO-1-positive human dental pulp cells were magnetically enriched and cultured on substrates with elasticities of 1.5, 15, and 28 kPa. The morphology of DPSCs was assessed visually. Proteins relevant in mechanobiology ACTB, ITGB1, FAK, p-FAK, TALIN, VINCULIN, PAXILLIN, ERK 1/2, and p-ERK 1/2 were detected by immunofluorescence imaging. Transcription of the pulp marker genes BMP2, BMP4, MMP2, MMP3, MMP13, FN1, and IGF2 as well as the cytokines ANGPT1, VEGF, CCL2, TGFB1, IL2, ANG, and CSF1 was determined using qPCR. A low stiffness, i.e., 1.5 kPa, resulted in a soft tissue-like phenotype and gene expression, whereas DPSCs on 28 kPa substrates exhibited a differentiation signature resembling hard tissues with a low cytokine expression. Conversely, the highest cytokine expression was observed in cells cultured on intermediate elasticity, i.e., 15 kPa, substrates possibly allowing the cells to act as “trophic mediators”. Our observations highlight the impact of biophysical cues for DPSC fate and enable the design of scaffold materials for clinical pulp regeneration that prevent hard tissue formation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:55:45Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-5354 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:55:45Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bioengineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-b92802c4bcf040bb952b756c65a361182023-11-17T09:39:40ZengMDPI AGBioengineering2306-53542023-03-0110332310.3390/bioengineering10030323Biomechanical Modulation of Dental Pulp Stem Cell (DPSC) Properties for Soft Tissue EngineeringTara Gross0Martin Philipp Dieterle1Kirstin Vach2Markus Joerg Altenburger3Elmar Hellwig4Susanne Proksch5Department of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Straße 55, 79106 Freiburg, GermanyDivision of Oral Biotechnology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Str. 55, 79106 Freiburg, GermanyInstitute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs—University of Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Str. 26, 79104 Freiburg, GermanyDepartment of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Straße 55, 79106 Freiburg, GermanyDepartment of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Straße 55, 79106 Freiburg, GermanyDepartment of Operative Dentistry and Periodontology, Center for Dental Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Straße 55, 79106 Freiburg, GermanyDental pulp regeneration strategies frequently result in hard tissue formation and pulp obliteration. The aim of this study was to investigate whether dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) can be directed toward soft tissue differentiation by extracellular elasticity. STRO-1-positive human dental pulp cells were magnetically enriched and cultured on substrates with elasticities of 1.5, 15, and 28 kPa. The morphology of DPSCs was assessed visually. Proteins relevant in mechanobiology ACTB, ITGB1, FAK, p-FAK, TALIN, VINCULIN, PAXILLIN, ERK 1/2, and p-ERK 1/2 were detected by immunofluorescence imaging. Transcription of the pulp marker genes BMP2, BMP4, MMP2, MMP3, MMP13, FN1, and IGF2 as well as the cytokines ANGPT1, VEGF, CCL2, TGFB1, IL2, ANG, and CSF1 was determined using qPCR. A low stiffness, i.e., 1.5 kPa, resulted in a soft tissue-like phenotype and gene expression, whereas DPSCs on 28 kPa substrates exhibited a differentiation signature resembling hard tissues with a low cytokine expression. Conversely, the highest cytokine expression was observed in cells cultured on intermediate elasticity, i.e., 15 kPa, substrates possibly allowing the cells to act as “trophic mediators”. Our observations highlight the impact of biophysical cues for DPSC fate and enable the design of scaffold materials for clinical pulp regeneration that prevent hard tissue formation.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/10/3/323tissue engineeringdental pulpstem cellselasticityscaffoldcellular mechanotransduction |
| spellingShingle | Tara Gross Martin Philipp Dieterle Kirstin Vach Markus Joerg Altenburger Elmar Hellwig Susanne Proksch Biomechanical Modulation of Dental Pulp Stem Cell (DPSC) Properties for Soft Tissue Engineering Bioengineering tissue engineering dental pulp stem cells elasticity scaffold cellular mechanotransduction |
| title | Biomechanical Modulation of Dental Pulp Stem Cell (DPSC) Properties for Soft Tissue Engineering |
| title_full | Biomechanical Modulation of Dental Pulp Stem Cell (DPSC) Properties for Soft Tissue Engineering |
| title_fullStr | Biomechanical Modulation of Dental Pulp Stem Cell (DPSC) Properties for Soft Tissue Engineering |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biomechanical Modulation of Dental Pulp Stem Cell (DPSC) Properties for Soft Tissue Engineering |
| title_short | Biomechanical Modulation of Dental Pulp Stem Cell (DPSC) Properties for Soft Tissue Engineering |
| title_sort | biomechanical modulation of dental pulp stem cell dpsc properties for soft tissue engineering |
| topic | tissue engineering dental pulp stem cells elasticity scaffold cellular mechanotransduction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/10/3/323 |
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