High Glucose Affects Proliferation, Reactive Oxygen Species and Mineralization of Human Dental Pulp Cells

Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders that can lead to damage and dysfunction of many organs including the dental pulp. Increased inflammatory response, reduction of dentin formation and impaired healing were reported in diabetic dental pulp. Hyperglycemia, which is a main characteristic of diabetes, was suggested to play a role in many diabetic complications. Therefore our aim was to investigate the effects of high glucose levels on proliferation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and odontogenic differentiation of human dental pulp cells (HDPCs). HDPCs were cultured under low glucose (5.5mM Glucose), high glucose (25 mM Glucose) and mannitol (iso-osmolar control) conditions. Cell proliferation was analyzed by MTT assay for 11 days. Glutathione and DCFH-DA assay were used to assess ROS and antioxidant levels after 24 h of glucose exposure. Odontogenic differentiation was evaluated and quantified by alizarin red staining on day 21. Expression of mineralization-associated genes, which were alkaline phosphatase, dentin sialophosphoprotein and osteonectin, was determined by RT-qPCR on day 14. The results showed that high glucose concentration decreased proliferation of HDPCs. Odontogenic differentiation, both by gene expression and mineral matrix deposit, was inhibited by high glucose condition. In addition, high DCF levels and low reduced glutathione levels were observed in high glucose condition. However, no differences were observed between mannitol and low glucose conditions. In conclusion, the results clearly showed the negative effect of high glucose condition on HDPCs proliferation and differentiation. Moreover, it also induced ROS production of HDPCs.