In Vitro Evidence for Oral Soft Tissue Regenerative Effects of a Polynucleotide-Hyaluronan Formulation

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Tissue Engineering
• Oral Biology

Background:

• Oral soft tissue reconstruction requires biomaterials that support cellular functions.
• Polynucleotide-hyaluronan (PN-HA) is a formulation with potential regenerative properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of PN-HA on human palatal fibroblasts (HPFs) and oral epithelial cells (OKF6/TERT-2).
• To assess PN-HA's potential for oral soft tissue reconstructive procedures.

Main Methods:

• Functional assays assessed cell viability, migration, and proliferation.
• Gene and protein expression of growth factors, cytokines, and differentiation markers were analyzed.
• Kinase signaling pathways were evaluated using immunofluorescence and immunoblotting.

Main Results:

• PN-HA preserved cell viability and significantly enhanced migration in both HPFs and OKF6/TERT-2 cells.
• PN-HA increased HPF proliferation and upregulated key growth factors (TGFB1, PDGFB, FGF2).
• PN-HA induced epithelial differentiation markers, activated MAPK signaling, and enhanced epithelial proliferation in co-cultures.

Conclusions:

• PN-HA promotes oral fibroblast migration and proliferation.
• PN-HA induces epithelial differentiation and stimulates epithelial proliferation in co-cultures.
• PN-HA shows promise for supporting soft tissue regeneration and keratinization in periodontal reconstructive surgeries.