Affiliations 

  • 1 Endodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; Department of Biological Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
  • 2 Endodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
  • 3 ENT Institute of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Longgang ENT Hospital, Shenzhen, China
  • 4 Department of Biological Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia; School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
  • 5 School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
  • 6 Endodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; HKU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: zchengfei@yahoo.com
J Endod, 2017 Mar;43(3):409-416.
PMID: 28231979 DOI: 10.1016/j.joen.2016.10.033

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs) possess neurogenic potential because they originate from the embryonic neural crest. This study investigated whether neural differentiation of DFSCs can be enhanced by culture on decellularized matrix substrata (NSC-DECM) derived from neurogenesis of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs).

METHODS: The hESCs were differentiated into neural stem cells (NSCs), and NSC-DECM was extracted from confluent monolayers of NSCs through treatment with deionized water. DFSCs seeded on NSC-DECM, Geltrex, and tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) were subjected to neural induction during a period of 21 days. Expression of early/intermediate (Musashi1, PAX6, NSE, and βIII-tubulin) and mature/late (NGN2, NeuN, NFM, and MASH1) neural markers by DFSCs was analyzed at the 7-, 14-, and 21-day time points with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Immunocytochemistry for detection of βIII-tubulin, PAX6, and NGN2 expression by DFSCs on day 7 of neural induction was also carried out.

RESULTS: Quantitative RT-PCR showed that expression of PAX6, Musashi1, βIII-tubulin, NSE, NGN2, and NFM by DFSCs was enhanced on NSC-DECM versus either the Geltrex or TCPS groups. Immunocytochemistry showed that DFSCs in the NSC-DECM group displayed more intense staining for βIII-tubulin, PAX6, and NGN2 expression, together with more neurite outgrowths and elongated morphology, as compared with either Geltrex or TCPS.

CONCLUSIONS: DECM derived from neurogenesis of hESCs can enhance the neurogenic potential of DFSCs.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.