Mitogenic effect of L-dopa on human periodontal ligament fibroblast cells

In cases of tooth avulsion, immediate replantation is the treatment of choice. In the event of any problem, the tooth should be stored in a medium that supports the periodontal ligament cell viability. Theoretically, mitotic promoting agents may be of use to preserve cell viability. It has previously been reported that levodopa (L-dopa) accelerates healing by increasing the growth hormone level. In this study, the direct effect of L-dopa was investigated on human periodontal ligament fibroblast (HPLF) cells. Cell culture methods were used to assess the potential mitogenic effect of L-dopa. Results show that in low concentrations of L-dopa (1 microgram/microl in this study), the number of HPLF cells were remarkably higher than the control group, and the number of viable cells were not affected by increasing the L-dopa concentration in the range of the study. These results suggest that L-dopa can also have a direct local effect on the growth of HPLF cells. These results may be of use clinically to increase the viability of HPLF cells in cases of an avulsed tooth preserved in storing medium.