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Published on: February 28, 2013
Characterization of the radioresponse of human apical papilla-derived cells
Shigehiro Abe1, Keiichi Hamada, Satoshi Yamaguchi
1Oral Radiation Oncology, Department of Oral Restitution, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan. masadrad@tmd.ac.jp
Background:
The purpose of this study was to characterize the radiobiological properties of stem/progenitor cells derived from apical papilla-derived cells (APDCs) compared to bulk APDCs.
Methods:
APDCs were isolated from freshly extracted human third molars with immature apices. Multipotent spheres, which are thought to contain an enriched population of stem/progenitor cells, were formed from the APDCs, using a neurosphere culture technique. After γ-irradiation, papillary sphere-forming cells (PSFCs) and bulk APDCs were subjected to radiosensitivity and hard tissue-forming assays.
Results:
Compared to bulk APDCs, the PSFCs exhibited a radioresistant phenotype and a higher capacity for DNA double strand break repair. Irradiation induced a significant increase in a senescence-like phenotype in both cell types. Neither type of cells exhibited a significant induction of apoptotic changes after 8 Gy of irradiation. Ability to form hard tissue in vivo was significantly decreased in PSFCs, but not in APDCs following 4 Gy of irradiation.
Conclusions:
We demonstrated for the first time that stem/progenitor cells derived from APDCs exhibit a radioresistant phenotype; however, the hard tissue forming ability in vivo, but not bulk APDCs, was significantly reduced after irradiation.
