Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
Isolation, Culture, and Characterization of Dental Pulp Stem Cells from Human Deciduous and Permanent Teeth
Published on: May 17, 2024
Donor-dependent immunomodulatory effects of human dental pulp stem cells on macrophages
Vitor Rodrigues da Costa1,2, Olívia Fonseca Souza3, Michelli Ramires Teixeira2
1Postgraduate Program in Structural and Functional Biology, Escola Paulista de Medicina of the Universidade Federal de São Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
Background:
Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) are a mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-like population with emerging therapeutic relevance, yet their immunomodulatory behavior remains incompletely defined.
Methods:
Here we examine how hDPSCs from three independent human donors modulate macrophages differentiated from the THP-1 and U-937 monocytic cell lines. Using co-culture systems, we assess cytokine secretion profiles and macrophage surface marker expression by multiplex immunoassays and flow cytometry.
Results:
Co-culture revealed donor- and lineage-specific modulation of key cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-10, IL-6, IL-1β, CXCL10, and IL-1RA, while surface marker analysis indicated minimal macrophage polarization. Notably, hDPSCs exhibited transcriptional changes in inflammation-related genes upon interaction with macrophages.
Conclusions:
Together, these findings reveal that hDPSC immunomodulatory activity is highly context-dependent and donor-specific, highlighting the importance of donor-aware functional assays for potency assessment and standardization of human cell-based therapies.
