Promotion effect of apical tooth germ cell-conditioned medium on osteoblastic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells through regulating miR-146a-5p

• Published in: BMC oral health 2022-11, Vol.22 (1), p.541-541, Article 541
• Main Authors: Xie, Yueqiang, Zheng, Yaxin, Chen, Liangjiao, Lan, Zedong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antibodies; Cell differentiation; Cementum; Culture Media, Conditioned - metabolism; Culture Media, Conditioned - pharmacology; Gene expression; Gene regulation; Humans; Laboratory animals; Ligaments; MicroRNAs; MicroRNAs - genetics; MicroRNAs - metabolism; Mineralization; miR-146a-5p; miRNA; Osteoblastic differentiation; Osteoblastogenesis; Osteoblasts; PDLSCs; Periodontal Ligament; Phosphatase; Stem cells; Stem Cells - metabolism; Tooth Germ - metabolism
• ISSN: 1472-6831; 1472-6831
• DOI: 10.1186/s12903-022-02485-8

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in gene regulation that controls stem cells differentiation. Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) could differentiate into osteo-/cementoblast-like cells that secretes cementum-like matrix both in vitro and in vivo. Whether miRNAs play key roles in osteoblastic differentiation of PDLSCs triggered by a special microenviroment remains elusive. In this study, we aimed to investigate potential miRNA expression changes in osteoblastic differentiation of PDLSCs by the induction of apical tooth germ cell-conditioned medium (APTG-CM). First, we analyzed the ability of APTG-CM to osteogenically differentiate PDLSCs. The results exhibited an enhanced mineralization ability, higher ALP activity and increased expression of osteogenic genes in APTG-CM-induced PDLSCs. Second, we used miRNA sequencing to analyze the miRNA expression profile of PDLSCs derived from three donors under 21-day induction or non-induction of APTG-CM. MiR-146a-5p was found to be up-regulated miRNA in induced PDLSCs and validated by RT-qPCR. Third, we used lentivirus-up/down system to verify the role of miR-146a-5p in the regulation of osteoblastic differentiation of PDLSCs. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that miR-146a-5p was involved in the promotion effect of APTG-CM on osteoblastic differentiation of PDLSCs, and suggested that miR-146a-5p might be a novel way in deciding the direction of PDLSCs differentiation.