Extracellular Vesicles Carrying RUNX3 Promote Differentiation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to clarify the mechanism underlying dental pulp cells-extracellular vesicles (DPC-EVs) carrying runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) in mediating odontogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) with the involvement of miR-30a-5p-regulated NOTCH1. METHODS: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) were isolated from human DPSCs, and identified using transmission electron microscopy, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. PBS, EVs, or EV inhibitor GW4869 was added to DPSCs for co-culture, whilst odontogenic differentiation was assessed in terms of ratio of mineralized nodules and expression odontoblast differentiation markers. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation for binding relation among RUNX3, miR-30a-5p and NOTCH1were employed to evaluate their roles in odontogenic differentiation was determined. Animal experiment was established to confirm the effect of DPC-EVs-loaded RUNX3 on dental pulp. RESULTS: In vitro finding demonstrated that EVs delivered RUNX3 to DPSCs, thereby activated miR-30a-5p expression and inhibited NOTCH1 expression, which was reversed by addition of GW4869. RUNX3 upregulation promoted miR-30a-5p while miR-30a-5p targeted and inhibited NOTCH1. Silencing of RUNX3 in EVs decreased expression of those differentiation markers, downregulated miR-30a-5p and upregulated NOTCH1. CONCLUSION: DPSC-EVs can carry RUNX3 to the DPSCs, promote the transcription of miR-30a-5p, and then inhibit the expression of NOTCH1, and finally promote the odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs.

A scientometric study of tobacco and alcohol use as risk factors for oral cavity health.

Background/purpose: Tobacco and alcohol are the well-known carcinogenic agents of oral cavity health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the scientometric characteristics of alcohol and tobacco use and oral health. Materials and methods: The papers on alcohol and tobacco use and oral cavity were published since 1885 and 1895, respectively. All the eligible papers were retrieved on March 20, 2023 from the Scopus database. Results: There are 2529 and 1545 papers on tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking and oral cavity in the Scopus database, respectively. Based on the frequency of keywords in all included papers, both smoking and drinking are involved in mouth neoplasms, oral cancer, leukoplakia, and periodontal diseases. In the papers on tobacco and alcohol use and oral cavity, the same research keywords confirm tobacco and alcohol use associate with oral cancer risk possibly through influencing genetics and gene and protein expression. For the distinctive keywords, nicotine, smoking cessation, and electronic cigarette are unique keywords of tobacco use. Acetaldehyde, alcohol dehydrogenase, and alcohol metabolism are unique ones of alcohol use. Conclusion: This study for the first time reports the scientometric characteristics of tobacco and alcohol use and oral health, which might aid healthcare authorities to promote tobacco and alcohol control measures focused on the necessities of their population.