Dual role of autophagy in lipopolysaccharide-induced preodontoblastic cells

Odontoblasts derive from neural crest-derived odontogenic mesenchymal cells, and they are an important barrier of defense for the host. Survival and immunity of odontoblasts play important roles in protecting the dentin-pulp structure. Autophagy can eliminate damaged organelles and recycle cellular components to facilitate cellular homeostasis. Autophagy can be activated with external stressors, such as starvation, hypoxia, and infection. In this study, the role of autophagy in inflamed odontoblasts was explored, and its possible mechanism was investigated. Cell viability was not affected by mild lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, and autophagy was activated during this process. Immunofluorescence of light chain 3 confirmed that autophagy was induced with LPS treatment. Early-stage autophagy inhibition resulted in down-regulated cell viability, contrary to the up-regulated cell viability at late-stage autophagy inhibition. Western blot suggested that p-Akt and survivin were not activated in the early stage, and they gradually increased and peaked in the late stage. Meanwhile, autophagy was down-regulated through the Akt/mTOR/survivin pathway in the late stage. Thus, autophagy has a dual role in inflamed odontoblasts, which indicates its importance in maintaining the microenvironment homeostasis of odontoblasts. Autophagy was induced as a survival mechanism in the early stage, and it decreased through the Akt/mTOR/survivin signaling pathway in the late stage.