Effect of mesoporous bioactive glass on odontogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells

Healthy pulp tissue plays an important role in normal function and long-term retention of teeth. Mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG) as a kind of regenerative biomaterials shows the potential in preserving the vital pulp. In this study, MBG prepared by organic template method combined with sol-gel method were used in human dental pulp cell culture and ectopic mineralization experiment. Real-Time PCR was used to explore its ability to induce odontogenic differentiation of dental pulp cells. MBG and rat crowns were implanted under the skin of nude mice for 4 weeks to observe the formation of pulp dentin complex. We found that MBG can release Si and Ca ions and has a strong mineralization activity in vitro. The co-culture of MBG with human dental pulp cells promoted the expression of DMP-1 (dentin matrix protein-1) and ALP (alkalinephosphatase) without affecting cell proliferation. After 4 weeks of subcutaneous implantation in nude mice, the formation of hard tissue with regular structure under the material could be seen, and the structure was similar to dentin tubules. These results indicate that MBG can induce the differentiation of dental pulp cells and the formation of dental pulp-dentin complex and has the potential to promote the repair and regeneration of dental pulp injuries.