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Unique molecular signatures influencing the biological function and fate of post-natal stem cells isolated from different sources

Abu Kasim NH, Govindasamy V, Gnanasegaran N, Musa S, Pradeep PJ, Srijaya TC, et al.

J Tissue Eng Regen Med, 2015 Dec;9(12):E252-66.
PMID: 23229816 DOI: 10.1002/term.1663

The discovery of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from a myriad of tissues has triggered the initiative of establishing tailor-made stem cells for disease-specific therapy. Nevertheless, lack of understanding on the inherent differential propensities of these cells may restrict their clinical outcome. Therefore, a comprehensive study was done to compare the proliferation, differentiation, expression of cell surface markers and gene profiling of stem cells isolated from different sources, viz. bone marrow, Wharton's jelly, adipose tissue and dental pulp. We found that although all MSCs were phenotypically similar to each other, Wharton's jelly (WJ) MSCs and dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) were highly proliferative as compared to bone marrow (BM) MSCs and adipose tissue (AD) MSCs. Moreover, indistinguishable cell surface characteristics and differentiation capacity were confirmed to be similar among all cell types. Based on gene expression profiling, we postulate that BM-MSCs constitutively expressed genes related to inflammation and immunodulation, whereas genes implicated in tissue development were highly expressed in AD-MSCs. Furthermore, the transcriptome profiling of WJ-MSCs and DPSCs revealed an inherent bias towards the neuro-ectoderm lineage. Based on our findings, we believe that there is no unique master mesenchymal stem cell that is appropriate to treat all target diseases. More precisely, MSCs from different sources exhibit distinct and unique gene expression signatures that make them competent to give rise to specific lineages rather than others. Therefore, stem cells should be subjected to rigorous characterization and utmost vigilance needs to be adopted in order to choose the best cellular source for a particular disease.
Fulltext The promise of human induced pluripotent stem cells in dental research

Srijaya TC, Pradeep PJ, Zain RB, Musa S, Abu Kasim NH, Govindasamy V

Stem Cells Int, 2012;2012:423868.
PMID: 22654919 DOI: 10.1155/2012/423868

Induced pluripotent stem cell-based therapy for treating genetic disorders has become an interesting field of research in recent years. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the applicability of induced pluripotent stem cells in dental research. Recent advances in the use of induced pluripotent stem cells have the potential for developing disease-specific iPSC lines in vitro from patients. Indeed, this has provided a perfect cell source for disease modeling and a better understanding of genetic aberrations, pathogenicity, and drug screening. In this paper, we will summarize the recent progress of the disease-specific iPSC development for various human diseases and try to evaluate the possibility of application of iPS technology in dentistry, including its capacity for reprogramming some genetic orodental diseases. In addition to the easy availability and suitability of dental stem cells, the approach of generating patient-specific pluripotent stem cells will undoubtedly benefit patients suffering from orodental disorders.
The pharmacokinetics of 38% silver diamine fluoride in healthy children with dental caries: a quasi-experimental study

Lim SP, Zainal Aalam N, Chik Z, Musa S

Eur Arch Paediatr Dent, 2023 Dec;24(6):737-749.
PMID: 37923916 DOI: 10.1007/s40368-023-00837-8

PURPOSE: Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a medication used for the arrestment of dental caries. This study aims to determine the pharmacokinetics (PK) of silver and fluoride following SDF application in healthy children with dental caries.
METHODS: A total of 15 subjects, aged 4 to 10 years, with at least one cavity on a primary tooth, were recruited for this study. Urine samples were collected at baseline, first 24 h (F1) and second 24 h (F2) after SDF treatment for analysis of silver and fluoride content. Hair samples were also collected at baseline and at 7, 14, 30, 60, 75, and 90 days after SDF treatment to analyze silver content.
RESULTS: Participants with under or over-collection of urine, or failure to provide urine collection were excluded for fluoride analysis. As a result, eight subjects' urine samples were eligible for fluoride analysis. Significant correlations were observed between baseline urinary fluoride levels and F1/F2 levels. Pairwise comparisons from Friedman's test showed significant differences between baseline and F1 fluoride levels. For silver analysis, 15 subjects were studied. F1 urinary silver levels were higher than baseline and F2 levels. Subsequent to SDF treatment, hair silver levels displayed fluctuations around the baseline. None of the participants reported adverse effects, and all caries teeth ceased progression within 30 days.
CONCLUSIONS: The urinary fluoride levels after SDF treatment, although higher, were not clinically significant. Urinary and hair silver levels were negligible. Therefore, SDF appears safe to be used among children.
The Malaysian experience in the typing of genetic variants of alpha-1-antitrypsin

Desa NM, Ismail Z, Beran Z, Musa SH

Southeast Asian J. Trop. Med. Public Health, 1995;26 Suppl 1:311-4.
PMID: 8629132

It is known that alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency is associated with emphysema in adults and liver cirrhosis in neonates. The phenotypes PiZZ and PiSZ are considered to be high risk groups. alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency is one of the most common lethal congenital disorders in Europe and the USA, occurring in approximately 1 in 2,000 caucasians of North European descent. Studies in Malaysia have found that the phenotypes PiZ and PiS are present in our population. Out of 950 samples analyzed, it was found that 10 samples were shown to be apparently Z homozygous phenotype. The phenotype is determined by high resolution isoelectrofocusing on an ultra-thin polyacrylamide gel embedded with narrow range Pi phamarlyte. The isoelectrofocused bands are confirmed by immunofixation and the plasma alpha1-antitrypsin levels determined by electroimmunoassay. The abnormal phenotypes are further confirmed by polymerase chain reaction using allele specific oligonucleotides.
Fulltext The Forest Observation System, building a global reference dataset for remote sensing of forest biomass

Schepaschenko D, Chave J, Phillips OL, Lewis SL, Davies SJ, Réjou-Méchain M, et al.

Sci Data, 2019 10 10;6(1):198.
PMID: 31601817 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-019-0196-1

Forest biomass is an essential indicator for monitoring the Earth's ecosystems and climate. It is a critical input to greenhouse gas accounting, estimation of carbon losses and forest degradation, assessment of renewable energy potential, and for developing climate change mitigation policies such as REDD+, among others. Wall-to-wall mapping of aboveground biomass (AGB) is now possible with satellite remote sensing (RS). However, RS methods require extant, up-to-date, reliable, representative and comparable in situ data for calibration and validation. Here, we present the Forest Observation System (FOS) initiative, an international cooperation to establish and maintain a global in situ forest biomass database. AGB and canopy height estimates with their associated uncertainties are derived at a 0.25 ha scale from field measurements made in permanent research plots across the world's forests. All plot estimates are geolocated and have a size that allows for direct comparison with many RS measurements. The FOS offers the potential to improve the accuracy of RS-based biomass products while developing new synergies between the RS and ground-based ecosystem research communities.
The Abeer Children Dental Anxiety Scale (ACDAS) cross-cultural adaptation and validity of self-report measures in the Malaysian Children Context (MY-ACDAS)

Manan NM, Musa S, Nor MMD, Saari CZ, Al-Namankany A

Int J Paediatr Dent, 2024 May;34(3):267-276.
PMID: 37985445 DOI: 10.1111/ipd.13132

BACKGROUND: The Abeer Children Dental Anxiety Scale (ACDAS) source language was developed and validated in an English-speaking country in the UK to measure dental anxiety among children. The ACDAS also included the child's cognitive assessment, as well as feedback from the parent or the legal guardian and a dental health professional (DHP). This is the first study to validate the application of the ACDAS in Malay or Bahasa Melayu for children aged 6-16 years.
AIM: To assess the Malay-translated version of the ACDAS, postadaptation into the local context and validation by the content and construct experts.
DESIGN: The English ACDAS was translated into Malay first through forward translation and then through backward translation. The prefinal translated version of the instrument was designed, with the participation of 61 children and 61 parents or legal guardians. Subsequently, a final cross-cultural adaptation of the instrument was then made for another group of participants and evaluated for validity and test-retest reliability among 144 children and 144 parents or legal guardians participating in the self-report feedback process at the Paediatric Dental Clinic, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The cross-cultural adaptation of the instrument considered translating to Malaysian national language and adapting to its culture.
RESULTS: The Malay-translated ACDAS consisted of 19 items. The translated version of Malaysian-ACDAS (MY-ACDAS) achieved an acceptable agreement between six expert committee members with an internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha value, αconsistency) of 0.839. The test-retest reliability results of all participants support semantic and conceptual equivalence as an accepted construct validity between the children, parents and DHPs across the multicultural Malaysian population.
CONCLUSION: The MY-ACDAS is a valid and reliable scale for measuring dental anxiety among Malaysian children.
Fulltext Synchronous reference frame fundamental method in shunt active power filter for mitigation of current harmonics

Musa, S., Radzi, M.A.M.

Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, 2017;25(101):249-256.
MyJurnal

This research presents compensation of current harmonic disturbance in power system network using
shunt active power filter. In this paper, harmonic extraction using Synchronous Reference Frame
Fundamental technique (SRFF) was investigated for three phase 3-wire system. It proposes a method
based on direct current measurement of load currents using a band pass filter at low cut off frequencies
to improve the filtering ability in highly contaminated loads. The proposed filter consists of second
order low pass and high pass filters cascaded together at suitable frequencies, estimated based on the
output of these units to mitigate the current harmonics. The performance of the system was simulated
in Matlab Platform and evaluated considering total harmonic distortion of the source current in a threephase
balanced network. The simulation results show the ability of the proposed tracking scheme to
accurately estimate harmonics.
Stem cells conditioned medium: a new approach to skin wound healing management

Jayaraman P, Nathan P, Vasanthan P, Musa S, Govindasamy V

Cell Biol Int, 2013 Oct;37(10):1122-8.
PMID: 23716460 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.10138

Stem cell biology has gained remarkable interest in recent years, driven by the hope of finding cures for numerous diseases including skin wound healing through transplantation medicine. Initially upon transplantation, these cells home to and differentiate within the injured tissue into specialised cells. Contrariwise, it now appears that only a small percentage of transplanted cells integrate and survive in host tissues. Thus, the foremost mechanism by which stem cells participate in tissue repair seems to be related to their trophic factors. Indeed, stem cells provide the microenvironment with a wide range of growth factors, cytokines and chemokines, which can broadly defined as the stem cells secretome. In in vitro condition, these molecules can be traced from the conditioned medium or spent media harvested from cultured cells. Conditioned medium now serves as a new treatment modality in regenerative medicine and has shown a successful outcome in some diseases. With the emergence of this approach, we described the possibility of using stem cells conditioned medium as a novel and promising alternative to skin wound healing treatment. Numerous pre-clinical data have shown the possibility and efficacy of this treatment. Despite this, significant challenges need to be addressed before translating this technology to the bedside.
Fulltext Retrospective analysis of dental treatment under general anesthesia among children with early childhood caries in Malaysia

Ibrahim NA, Nor NAM, Azizi NZ, Hamzah TNNT, Dziaruddin N, Musa S

J Clin Pediatr Dent, 2023 Jul;47(4):46-53.
PMID: 37408346 DOI: 10.22514/jocpd.2023.034

Many children are affected by early childhood caries (ECC) with some requiring dental treatment under general anesthesia (GA). In pediatric dentistry, GA is one of the established methods of behavior management. GA data is useful for understanding the caries burden among young children. This study aimed to determine the trends, patient characteristics, and types of treatments conducted under GA among young children in a Malaysian dental hospital over a 7-year period. A retrospective study using pediatric patient records from 2013 to 2019 was conducted on children aged 2-6 years (24-71 months) having ECC. Relevant data were collected and analyzed. In total, 381 children with a mean age of 49.8 months were identified. Some of the ECC cases were associated with abscesses (32.5%) and multiple retained roots (36.7%). Over a 7-year period, there was an upward trend of preschool children receiving GA. Of the 4713 carious teeth treated, 55.1% were extracted, 29.9% were restored, 14.3% had preventive procedures, and 0.4% were pulp treated. Mean extractions were significantly higher among preschoolers compared to toddlers (p = 0.001), while preventive treatment was markedly higher among toddlers. In terms of the type of restorative materials, almost similar distribution was observed between the two age groups with 86.5% treated using composite restorations. Dental treatment under GA was more frequently used among preschoolers than in toddlers, with extractions and restoration with composite resin being the common treatment options. The findings can help decision-makers or relevant parties address the burden of ECC and enhance oral health promotion activities.
Retention Evaluation of Fissure Sealants Applied Using Self-Etch and Conventional Acid-Etch Techniques: A Randomized Control Trial Among Schoolchildren

Althomali YM, Musa S, Manan NM, Nor NAM

Pediatr Dent, 2022 Jul 15;44(4):249-254.
PMID: 35999682

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical retention capabilities of a self-etch adhesive system (experimental group) and conventional acid-etch (control group) techniques and compare the caries incidence within six months and 24 months of follow-up periods. Methods: A total of 47 healthy children with a mean age of 9.7 years and either sound or noncavitated erupted permanent first molars were included in the trial. A total of 188 molars were randomly assigned in a split-mouth design for the self-etch mode in the universal adhesive or conventional acid-etch. Differences in sealant retention and caries incidence were compared at six and 24 months after sealant placement using a chi-square test. Results: Within 24 months of follow-up, the retention of fissure sealant applied using conventional acid etching (41 out of 66; 62.1 percent) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of the fissure sealant applied using self-etching mode in the universal adhesive system (17 out of 66; 25.8 percent). There was no significant difference in caries incidence between the two groups up to 24 months after sealant placement. Conclusion: With 24 months of follow-up, the retention of the conventional acid-etching technique were superior to those of the self-etch technique.
Fulltext ReNCell VM conditioned medium enhances the induction of dental pulp stem cells into dopaminergic like cells

Gnanasegaran N, Govindasamy V, Musa S, Abu Kasim NH

Cytotechnology, 2016 Mar;68(2):343-53.
PMID: 25322895 DOI: 10.1007/s10616-014-9787-z

Among the debilitating diseases, neurological related diseases are the most challenging ones to be treated using cell replacement therapies. Recently, dental pulp stem cells (SHED) were found to be most suitable cell choice for neurological related diseases as evidenced with many preclinical studies. To enhance the neurological potential of SHED, we recapitulated one of the pharmacological therapeutic tools in cell replacement treatment, we pre-conditioned dental pulp stem cells (SHED) with culture medium of ReNCell VM, an immortalized neuron progenitor cell, prior to neurogenesis induction and investigated whether this practice enhances their neurogenesis potential especially towards dopaminergic neurons. We hypothesed that the integration of pharmacological practices such as co-administration of various drugs, a wide range of doses and duration as well as pre-conditioning into cell replacement may enhance the efficacy of stem cell therapy. In particular, pre-conditioning is shown to be involved in the protective effect from some membrano-tropic drugs, thereby improving the resistance of cell structures and homing capabilities. We found that cells pre-treated with ReNCell VM conditioned medium displayed bipolar structures with extensive branches resembling putative dopaminergic neurons as compared to non-treated cells. Furthermore, many neuronal related markers such as NES, NR4A2, MSI1, and TH were highly expressed (fold changes > 2; p
Fulltext Rapid diagnosis of leptospirosis by multiplex PCR

Ahmed SA, Sandai DA, Musa S, Hoe CH, Riadzi M, Lau KL, et al.

Malays J Med Sci, 2012 Jul;19(3):9-16.
PMID: 23610544 MyJurnal

Traditionally, the most common diagnostic approach used for diagnosing leptospirosis was the demonstration of immune-seroconversion in acute and convalescent patient serum samples. Recently, a variety of molecular techniques, including conventional and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), have been developed for the specific detection of pathogenic bacteria from the genus Leptospira. PCR is a sensitive, specific, and rapid technique that has been successfully used to detect several microorganisms; including those of clinical significance.
Fulltext Quantification of mesenchymal stem cell growth rates through secretory and excretory biomolecules in conditioned media via Fresnel reflection

Ahmad H, Thambiratnam K, Zulkifli AZ, Lawrence A, Jasim AA, Kunasekaran W, et al.

Sensors (Basel), 2013 Sep 30;13(10):13276-88.
PMID: 24084118 DOI: 10.3390/s131013276

An efficient and low cost optical method for directly measuring the concentration of homogenous biological solutes is proposed and demonstrated. The proposed system operates by Fresnel reflection, with a flat-cleaved single-mode fiber serving as the sensor probe. A laser provides a 12.9 dBm sensor signal at 1,550 nm, while a computer-controlled optical power meter measures the power of the signal returned by the probe. Three different mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) lines were obtained, sub-cultured and trypsinized daily over 9 days. Counts were measured using a haemocytometer and the conditioned media (CM) was collected daily and stored at -80 °C. MSCs release excretory biomolecules proportional to their growth rate into the CM, which changes the refractive index of the latter. The sensor is capable of detecting changes in the number of stem cells via correlation to the change in the refractive index of the CM, with the measured power loss decreasing approximately 0.4 dB in the CM sample per average 1,000 cells in the MSC subculture. The proposed system is highly cost-effective, simple to deploy, operate, and maintain, is non-destructive, and allows reliable real-time measurement of various stem cell proliferation parameters.
Oral bacteria detection among children with cancer in a tertiary teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Sidi Omar SFN, Ngui R, Ab Rahman SZ, Foo JC, Wang QY, Hassan NA, et al.

Trop Biomed, 2021 Sep 01;38(3):276-282.
PMID: 34362870 DOI: 10.47665/tb.38.3.068

This study sought to determine the prevalence of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavities of children with cancer. There were 68 paediatric patients with cancer who were included in this study. Oral swab samples from the dorsum of tongues and mouth floors of these patients were subjected to culture, staining, and molecular methods to detect the bacteria. The overall prevalence of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria was 79.4% (54/68; 95% CI = 68.4 - 87.3) and 25% (17/68; 95% CI = 16.2 - 36.4), respectively. Streptococcus salivarius and Streptococcus parasanguinis were the predominant pathogenic grampositive bacteria, while Neisseria subflava and Neisseria perflava were the most common pathogenic gram-negative bacteria. The results revealed that the number of bacteria isolates recovered in patients receiving cancer treatment was higher (55.9%) than those who had not received treatment (16.2%). Therefore, more isolated pathogenic bacteria were observed post-therapy (54.4%). Pathogenic organisms can have significant implications on patient health. Awareness of the types of bacteria inhabiting the oral cavity is essential to predict and prevent dental problems, and their associated systemic complications. Findings on the diversity of oral microflora can also provide a better understanding of the aetiology of oral diseases in paediatric patients receiving cancer treatment.
Metabolic adaptation via regulated enzyme degradation in the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans

Ting SY, Ishola OA, Ahmed MA, Tabana YM, Dahham S, Agha MT, et al.

J Mycol Med, 2017 Mar;27(1):98-108.
PMID: 28041812 DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2016.12.002

The virulence of Candida albicans is dependent upon fitness attributes as well as virulence factors. These attributes include robust stress responses and metabolic flexibility. The assimilation of carbon sources is important for growth and essential for the establishment of infections by C. albicans. Previous studies showed that the C. albicans ICL1 genes, which encode the glyoxylate cycle enzymes isocitratelyase are required for growth on non-fermentable carbon sources such as lactate and oleic acid and were repressed by 2% glucose. In contrast to S. cerevsiae, the enzyme CaIcl1 was not destabilised by glucose, resulting with its metabolite remaining at high levels. Further glucose addition has caused CaIcl1 to lose its signal and mechanisms that trigger destabilization in response to glucose. Another purpose of this study was to test the stability of the Icl1 enzyme in response to the dietary sugars, fructose, and galactose. In the present study, the ICL1 mRNAs expression was quantified using Quantitative Real Time PCR, whereby the stability of protein was measured and quantified using Western blot and phosphoimager, and the replacing and cloning of ICL1 ORF by gene recombination and ubiquitin binding was conducted via co-immuno-precipitation. Following an analogous experimental approach, the analysis was repeated using S. cerevisiaeas a control. Both galactose and fructose were found to trigger the degradation of the ICL1 transcript in C. albicans. The Icl1 enzyme was stable following galactose addition but was degraded in response to fructose. C. albicans Icl1 (CaIcl1) was also subjected to fructose-accelerated degradation when expressed in S. cerevisiae, indicating that, although it lacks a ubiquitination site, CaIcl1 is sensitive to fructose-accelerated protein degradation. The addition of an ubiquitination site to CaIcl1 resulted in this enzyme becoming sensitive to galactose-accelerated degradation and increases its rate of degradation in the presence of fructose. It can be concluded that ubiquitin-independent pathways of fructose-accelerated enzyme degradation exist in C. albicans.
Inherent differential propensity of dental pulp stem cells derived from human deciduous and permanent teeth

Govindasamy V, Abdullah AN, Ronald VS, Musa S, Ab Aziz ZA, Zain RB, et al.

J Endod, 2010 Sep;36(9):1504-15.
PMID: 20728718 DOI: 10.1016/j.joen.2010.05.006

Lately, several new stem cell sources and their effective isolation have been reported that claim to have potential for therapeutic applications. However, it is not yet clear which type of stem cell sources are most potent and best for targeted therapy. Lack of understanding of nature of these cells and their lineage-specific propensity might hinder their full potential. Therefore, understanding the gene expression profile that indicates their lineage-specific proclivity is fundamental to the development of successful cell-based therapies.
Fulltext Iatrogenic Mucosal Burn : A Case Report

Musa, S., Awang, H.

Ann Dent, 1996;3(1):-.
MyJurnal

A case of mucosal burn during the placement of fissure sealant on the first permanent molars of a 9-year-old Malay boy is presented. The erythematous lesion with accompanying burning sensation appeared a few minutes after the etching liquid, containing 37% by weight phosphoric acid, had accidentally come into contact with the buccal mucosa on the right side of the angle of the mouth. The mucosa showed complete healing after one week. The use of rubber dam for tooth isolation while doing fissure sealant is essential to avoid accidental contact of potentially caustic chemicals, such as the phosphoric acid etchant, with the oral mucosa as it can result in mucosal burns.
Human platelet lysate permits scale-up of dental pulp stromal cells for clinical applications

Govindasamy V, Ronald VS, Abdullah AN, Ganesan Nathan KR, Aziz ZA, Abdullah M, et al.

Cytotherapy, 2011 Nov;13(10):1221-33.
PMID: 21929379 DOI: 10.3109/14653249.2011.602337

BACKGROUND AIMS. Dental pulp stromal cells (DPSC) are considered to be a promising source of stem cells in the field of regenerative therapy. However, the usage of DPSC in transplantation requires large-scale expansion to cater for the need for clinical quantity without compromising current good manufacturing practice (cGMP). Existing protocols for cell culturing make use of fetal bovine serum (FBS) as a nutritional supplement. Unfortunately, FBS is an undesirable additive to cells because it carries the risk of transmitting viral and prion diseases. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to examine the efficacy of human platelet lysate (HPL) as a substitute for FBS in a large-scale set-up. METHODS. We expanded the DPSC in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium-knock-out (DMEM-KO) with either 10% FBS or 10% HPL, and studied the characteristics of DPSC at pre- (T25 culture flask) and post- (5-STACK chamber) large-scale expansion in terms of their identity, quality, functionality, molecular signatures and cytogenetic stability. RESULTS. In both pre- and post-large-scale expansion, DPSC expanded in HPL showed extensive proliferation of cells (c. 2-fold) compared with FBS; the purity, immune phenotype, colony-forming unit potential and differentiation were comparable. Furthermore, to understand the gene expression profiling, the transcriptomes and cytogenetics of DPSC expanded under HPL and FBS were compared, revealing similar expression profiles. CONCLUSIONS. We present a highly economized expansion of DPSC in HPL, yielding double the amount of cells while retaining their basic characteristics during a shorter time period under cGMP conditions, making it suitable for therapeutic applications.
Global search for right cell type as a treatment modality for cardiovascular disease

Musa S, Xin LZ, Govindasamy V, Fuen FW, Kasim NH

Expert Opin Biol Ther, 2014 Jan;14(1):63-73.
PMID: 24191782 DOI: 10.1517/14712598.2014.858694

Acute myocardial infarction is the primary cause of heart disease-related death in the world. Reperfusion therapy is currently the backbone of treatment for acute myocardial infarction albeit with many limitations. With the emergence of stem cells as potential therapeutic agents, attempts in using them to enhance cardiac function have increased exponentially. However, it has its own disadvantages, and we postulate that the primary drawback is choosing the right cell type and solving this may significantly contribute to ambitious goal of using stem cells in the regeneration medicine.
Generation of functional hepatocyte-like cells from human deciduous periodontal ligament stem cells

Vasanthan P, Jayaraman P, Kunasekaran W, Lawrence A, Gnanasegaran N, Govindasamy V, et al.

Naturwissenschaften, 2016 Aug;103(7-8):62.
PMID: 27379400 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-016-1387-7

Human deciduous periodontal ligament stem cells have been introduced for as an easily accessible source of stem cells from dental origin. Although recent studies have revealed the ability of these stem cells in multipotential attribute, their efficiency of hepatic lineage differentiation has not been addressed so far. The aim of this study is to investigate hepatic lineage fate competence of periodontal ligament stem cells through direct media induction. Differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells into hepatocyte-like cells was conducted by the exposure of two phase media induction. First phase was performed in the presence of hepatocyte growth factors to induce a definitive endoderm formation. In the subsequent phase, the cells were treated with oncostatin M and dexamethosone followed by insulin and transferrin to generate hepatocyte-like cells. Hepatic-related characters of the generated hepatocyte-like cells were determined at both mRNA and protein level followed by functional assays. Foremost changes observed in the generation of hepatocyte-like cells were the morphological features in which these cells were transformed from fibroblastic shape to polygonal shape. Temporal expression of hepatic markers ranging from early endodermal up to late markers were detected in the hepatocyte-like cells. Crucial hepatic markers such as glycogen storage, albumin, and urea secretion were also shown. These findings exhibited the ability of periodontal ligament stem cells of dental origin to be directed into hepatic lineage fate. These cells can be regarded as an alternative autologous source in the usage of stem cell-based treatment for liver diseases.

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