Search

Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) show significant potential for exploitation in novel regeneration strategies, although lack of understanding of their responses to bacterial challenge constrains their application. The present study aimed to investigate whether lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the major pathogenic factor of Gram-negative bacteria, regulates the differentiation of hDPSCs and which intracellular signaling pathways may be involved. LPS treatment significantly promoted the differentiation of hDPSCs demonstrable by increased mineralized nodule formation and mRNA expression of several odontoblastic markers in a dose-dependent manner. While inhibition of TLR4, p38, and ERK signaling markedly antagonized LPS-mediated differentiation of hDPSCs. The inhibition of JNK and NF-κB signaling had no detectable effect on LPS activation of hDPSCs. LPS stimulation resulted in phosphorylation of NF-κB p65, IκB-α, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in DPSCs in a time-dependent manner, which was markedly suppressed by their specific inhibitors, respectively. Data demonstrated that LPS promoted odontoblastic differentiation of hDPSCs via TLR4, ERK, and P38 MAPK signaling pathways, but not NF-κB signaling., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.)

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the migration and adhesion of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and the associated intracellular signalling pathways., Methods: hDPSCs obtained from impacted third molars were exposed to LPS and in vitro cell adhesion and migration were evaluated. The effects of LPS on gene expression of adhesion molecules and chemotactic factors were investigated using quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain (qRT-PCR). The potential involvement of nuclear factor NF-kappa-B (NF-κB) or mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathways in the migration and adhesion of hDPSCs induced by LPS was assessed using a transwell cell migration assay and qRT-PCR., Results: LPS promoted the adhesion of hDPSCs at 1μg/mL and 10μg/mL concentrations, 1μg/mL LPS showing the greater effect. Transwell cell migration assay demonstrated that LPS increased migration of hDPSCs at 1μg/mL concentration while decreasing it significantly at 10μg/mL. The mRNA expressions of adhesion molecules and chemotactic factors were enhanced significantly after stimulation with 1μg/mL LPS. Specific inhibitors for NF-κB and extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and P38, markedly antagonised LPS-induced adhesion and migration of hDPSCs and also significantly abrogated LPS-induced up-regulation of adhesion molecules and chemotactic factors. In addition, specific inhibitors of SDF-1/CXCR4, AMD3100 significantly diminished LPS-induced migration of hDPSCs., Conclusions: LPS at specific concentrations can promote cell adhesion and migration in hDPSCs via the NF-κB and MAPK pathways by up-regulating the expression of adhesion molecules and chemotactic factors., Clinical Significance: LPS may influence pulp healing through enhancing the adhesion and migration of human dental pulp stem cells when it enters into pulp during pulp exposure or deep caries., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been implicated in mesenchymal stem cell differentiation processes. Wnt5a, one of the "non-canonical" Wnt family members, is important in signaling stem cell differentiation and in the inflammatory responses of immune cells. Here we studied whether LPS can regulate the expression of Wnt5a in human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and investigated the intracellular signaling pathways activated by LPS., Methods: Wnt5a mRNA and protein expression changes in hDPSCs were investigated by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In addition, real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and luciferase activity assays were used to determine whether toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiating factor 88 (MyD88), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), or the phosphatidylinositol 3-OH kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathways are involved in LPS-induced Wnt5a expression. The activation of PI3K and AKT in hDPSCs was measured by Western blot analysis., Results: Wnt5a mRNA and protein expression was rapidly increased in response to LPS in a time- and dose-dependent manner. LPS-induced Wnt5a expression was effectively attenuated by administration of a TLR4 neutralizing antibody, MyD88 inhibitory peptide, PI3-kinase inhibitors (LY294002 and wortmannin), an AKT inhibitor, or NF-κB inhibitor (pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate), IκBa phosphorylation inhibitor (Bay 117082), or IκB protease inhibitor (L-1-tosylamido-2-phenylethyl chloromethyl ketone). Treatment of hDPSCs with LPS activated PI3-kinase (p85) and AKT signaling in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, LPS-mediated increases in κB-luciferase activity were diminished by the overexpression of dominant negative mutants of TLR4, MyD88, p85, AKT, and IκBa., Conclusions: These results demonstrated that LPS-induced Wnt5a expression was mediated through the TLR4/MyD88/PI3-kinase/AKT pathway, which then initiated NF-κB activation in hDPSCs., (Copyright © 2014 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAPs) are important for tooth root development and may be candidates for regenerative endodontic procedures involving immature teeth. The potential use of SCAPs for clinical applications requires a better understanding of their responses to bacterial challenge. We have investigated the effects of exposure of these cells to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Inflammatory responses arising from bacterial challenges can constrain postinjury tissue regeneration and the effects of nuclear factor I C (NFIC), which plays a critical role in tooth root development. NFIC has been explored for its anti-inflammatory action in the context of endodontic treatment of immature teeth where continued root development is an important outcome., Methods: SCAPs were exposed to LPS, and the expression of Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) were assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The pLenti6.3/v5-NFIC plasmid encoding the full-length NFIC or NFIC silencing by si-RNA (small interfering RNA) in SCAPs were measured by Western blotting or RT-PCR; the effects of NFIC on IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α were analyzed by RT-PCR. The protein levels were subsequently measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay., Results: LPS induced the synthesis of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α in SCAPs in a time-dependent manner. Pretreatment with a TLR4 inhibitor significantly inhibited LPS-induced IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α expression. Knockdown of NFIC increased the expression of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α, whereas the overexpression of NFIC resulted in the suppression of the inflammatory response stimulated by 1 μg/mL LPS, especially for IL-8. Together, these data show that LPS is recognized by the transmembranous receptor TLR4 to mediate inflammatory responses in SCAPs and NFIC overexpression can suppress LPS-initiated innate immune responses., Conclusions: The anti-inflammatory effects of NFIC overexpression provide a valuable target to dampen inflammatory responses in the infected pulp to allow tissue regeneration to occur., (Copyright © 2013 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: Dendritic cells (DC) are specialized cells that capture and present antigen to T cells. Recent advances have been made in understanding their origin, heterogeneity, and the signals that induce their migration and maturation resident microglia are antigen-presenting cells (APC) involved in stimulation or reactivation of CNS-targeted T cells. Generation of DC from microglia, as demonstrated ex vivo, may support GM-CSF-driven differentiation of brain DC from local, likely, microglial progenitors. Here, we report the establishment of long-term cultures of rat ecto-mesenchymal stem cells (EMSCs) using specific supplemented media for induction. These EMSCs share some morphological characteristics and the allostimulatory capacity of classical DCs, and when transplanted into the brain using a rat glioma model survive within the cortex, and are morphologically and phenotypically similar to microglia over 7 days. Our findings related to the development and differentiation of microglial progenitors support the view that microglia are derived prenatally from mesodermal progenitors that are distinct from monocytes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]