Osteogenic Marker Expression after SHED and PMMA-HA Scaffold Application in Alveolar Bone Defects

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Biomaterials Science
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Alveolar bone defects compromise oral health and tooth function.
• Current treatments like autogenous bone grafting have limitations.
• Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) offer potential for bone tissue engineering.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of SHED seeded in PMMA-HA scaffolds on osteogenic marker expression in alveolar bone defects.

Main Methods:

• Wistar rats with maxillary incisor extraction defects were divided into three groups: control, PMMA-HA scaffold, and SHED-seeded PMMA-HA scaffold.
• Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the expression of BMP2, RUNX2, ALP, TGF-β, OCN, OPG, RANK, and RANKL.

Main Results:

• SHED-seeded PMMA-HA scaffolds upregulated BMP2, RUNX2, ALP, TGF-β, OCN, and OPG expression.
• Downregulation of RANK and RANKL was observed in the SHED-treated group compared to controls.
• These markers are crucial for bone formation and remodeling.

Conclusions:

• SHED combined with PMMA-HA scaffolds effectively modulated osteogenic markers in alveolar bone defects.
• This combination presents a promising regenerative strategy for alveolar bone defects.
• It may serve as a viable alternative to autogenous bone grafting.