Stemness genes expression in naïve vs. osteodifferentiated human dental-derived stem cells

A. Ballini, A. Di Benedetto, D. De Vito, A. Scarano, S. Scacco, L. Perillo, F. Posa, G. Dipalma, F. Paduano, M. Contaldo, M. Grano, G. Brunetti, G. Colaianni, M. Di Cosola, S. Cantore, G. Mori

Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy. stefaniacantore@pec.omceo.bari.it

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• Stem Cells

OBJECTIVE: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been deeply investigated in regenerative medicine because of their crucial role in tissue healing, such as tissue regeneration. Dental-derived stem cells (d-DSCs) are easily available from dental tissues, which can be isolated from all age patients with minimal discomfort.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Normal unerupted third molars tooth buds were collected from adolescents’ patients underwent to extractions for orthodontic reasons. The expression of the genes Kruppel-like factor 4 (Klf-4), octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct-4), homeobox transcription factor Nanog (NANOG) was investigated in d-DSCs obtained from dental bud (DBSCs), differentiated toward osteoblastic phenotype and not.
RESULTS: Our results showed that DBSCs expressed Oct-4, Nanog, and Klf-4 in undifferentiated conditions and interestingly the expression of such genes increased when the cells were kept in osteogenic medium.
CONCLUSIONS: These attractive stemness properties, together with the effortlessly isolation, during common oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures, from undifferentiated tissues such as dental bud, make this kind of d-DSCs a promising tool in regenerative medicine, having the potential for clinical applications, and reinforcing the present challenge to develop new preventive and healing strategies in tissue regeneration.

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