Gelatin fibrous scaffolds promote fibrogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A tooth can be led to lose viability, split easily and miss immune defensive response by pulpitis and pulp necrosis. Determining how to achieve dental pulp regeneration has become a research focus in dentistry. The physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of scaffold materials are crucial for proliferation and differentiation of stem cells. OBJECTIVE: To study whether a gelatin scaffold can induce dental pulp stem cells to differentiate into fibroblasts.METHODS: Gelatin scaffolds at different concentrations were prepared by electrospinning method. The surface morphology and physical properties of gelatin scaffolds were tested by using scanning electron microscope and tensile tests. The human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) were seeded on the scaffolds and the cell proliferation and fibrogenic differentiation were tested using MTT and RT-PCR. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The fiber diameter of the 7.5% gelatin scaffold was (2.02±0.36) μm, and it was increased to (3.15±0.52) μm after cross-linking. In the 15% gelatin scaffold, fiber bonding was detected and strengthened until the emergence of flat structures after cross-linking. Both 7.5% and 15% gelatin scaffolds could promote the adhesion and growth of hDPSCs. On day 7, the cell number on the 7.5% gelatin scaffold was significantly higher than that on the 15% gelatin scaffold (P < 0.05). The levels of Collagen I, α-SMA, Periostin and Fibronectin were also higher in the 7.5% gelatin scaffold than in the 15% gelatin scaffold (P < 0.05). In conclusion, 7.5% gelatin scaffold is more beneficial to the proliferation and fibrogenic differentiation of hDPSCs.