Lysophosphatidic acid rescues human dental pulp cells from ischemia-induced apoptosis

Dental pulp is particularly susceptible to ischemic conditions (hypoxia and serum deprived) because it is commonly exposed to trauma, inflammation, chronic caries injury, and pulpitis. We investigated the apoptotic response of human dental pulp cells (HDPCs) to varying levels of oxygen and serum to mimic different degrees of ischemia, tested whether lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) could reverse ischemia-induced apoptosis, and investigated the possible mechanisms of LPA.

HDPCs were cultured under conditions mimicking serum deprivation and ischemia for 2 days with or without LPA at 25 μg/mL. Flow cytometry and JC-1 fluorescence were used to detect any apoptotic change. Western blotting was used to measure the expression of the apoptosis regulators B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bax, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), Src, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), and Akt.

Flow cytometry and JC-1 immunofluorescence showed that ischemia could induce apoptosis of HDPCs in 2 days and treatment with LPA could reduce cell death significantly. To clarify the molecular mechanisms, Western blot results showed up-regulation of both proapoptotic Bax and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 during apoptosis. LPA functioned as an antiapoptotic cytokine by activation of the phosphorylation of FAK and ERK. No statistically significant difference was found in the activation levels of p-Src or p-Akt.

A self-defense mechanism functioned during cell apoptosis. LPA could effectively rescue HDPCs from ischemia-induced apoptosis via regulation of Bax and Bcl-2 and the activation of phosphorylated FAK and phosphorylated ERK. LPA is a potent candidate for biological therapy of chronic pulpal inflammatory diseases.