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Updated: Sep 29, 2025
Author Spotlight: Enhancing Dental Pulp Research with Improved Mouse Models
Published on: October 27, 2023
microRNA-126 inhibits vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and interleukin-1beta in human dental pulp cells
Long Jiang1,2, Tadkamol Krongbaramee2, Xinhai Lin1
1Department of General Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China.
Background:
Vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1) mediates pulpitis via regulating interleukin (IL)-1β. microRNA (miR)-126 was reported to regulate the VCAM-1 under many different pathophysiological circumstances. We investigated variations of miR-126 and VCAM-1 in inflamed patient pulp tissues and determined potential roles of miR-126 in pulpitis using human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) in vitro.
Methods:
We quantitatively measured the transcripts of miR-126 and VCAM-1 in inflamed human pulp tissues using qRT-PCR and compared with those from healthy human pulp tissues. In addition, we transfected miR-126 in hDPCs using plasmid DNA (pDNA)-encoding miR-126 delivered by polyethylenimine (PEI) nanoparticles.
Results:
The irreversible pulpitis significantly reduced miR-126 and increased the transcript of VCAM-1 in pulp tissues (p < 0.05). pDNA-encoding miR-126 delivered PEI nanoparticles and effectively upregulated the expression of miR-126 in hDPCs (p < 0.05). The overexpression of miR-126 could effectively suppress the transcripts and protein levels of VCAM-1 and IL-1β induced by Pg-LPS at 100ng/mL in DPCs (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
miR-126 is involved in pulpitis and downregulated the VCAM-1 and IL-1β in DPCs. miR-126 may be a potential target to attenuate the inflammation of pulpitis.
Insights
MicroRNA-126 (miR-126) is reduced in pulpitis, while VCAM-1 increases. Restoring miR-126 levels in dental pulp cells suppresses VCAM-1 and IL-1β, suggesting miR-126 as a potential therapeutic target for pulpitis.
Area of Science:
- Oral biology
- Molecular biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1) plays a role in pulpitis by regulating interleukin (IL)-1β.
- MicroRNA-126 (miR-126) has been shown to regulate VCAM-1 in various pathophysiological conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression levels of miR-126 and VCAM-1 in human pulpitis tissues.
- To explore the potential role of miR-126 in regulating VCAM-1 and IL-1β in human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) in vitro.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to measure miR-126 and VCAM-1 transcripts in healthy and inflamed pulp tissues.
- hDPCs were transfected with plasmid DNA encoding miR-126 using polyethylenimine (PEI) nanoparticles to upregulate miR-126 expression.
Main Results:
- Irreversible pulpitis was associated with significantly reduced miR-126 and increased VCAM-1 transcripts in pulp tissues (p < 0.05).
- Transfection with miR-126 effectively upregulated its expression in hDPCs (p < 0.05).
- Overexpression of miR-126 suppressed VCAM-1 and IL-1β transcripts and protein levels induced by Pg-LPS in hDPCs (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- miR-126 is downregulated in pulpitis and contributes to the regulation of VCAM-1 and IL-1β in dental pulp cells.
- miR-126 presents a potential therapeutic target for mitigating pulpitis inflammation.
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