Systemically Transplanted Bone Marrow-derived Cells Contribute to Dental Pulp Regeneration in a Chimeric Mouse Model

Wenan Xu; Shan Jiang; Qiuyue Chen; Yanyan Ye; Jiajing Chen; Boon Chin Heng; Qianli Jiang; Buling Wu; Zihai Ding; Chengfei Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.joen.2015.10.007

Systemically Transplanted Bone Marrow-derived Cells Contribute to Dental Pulp Regeneration in a Chimeric Mouse Model

J Endod. 2016 Feb;42(2):263-8. doi: 10.1016/j.joen.2015.10.007. Epub 2015 Dec 10.

Authors

Wenan Xu¹, Shan Jiang², Qiuyue Chen³, Yanyan Ye⁴, Jiajing Chen³, Boon Chin Heng⁵, Qianli Jiang⁴, Buling Wu⁶, Zihai Ding⁷, Chengfei Zhang⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Stomatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Anatomical Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
² Department of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
³ Department of Stomatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
⁴ Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
⁵ Comprehensive Dental Care, Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
⁶ Department of Stomatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: bulingwu0605@yahoo.com.
⁷ Anatomical Institute of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. Electronic address: dingzih@163.com.
⁸ Comprehensive Dental Care, Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; HKU Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: zhangcf@hku.hk.

PMID: 26686823
DOI: 10.1016/j.joen.2015.10.007

Abstract

Introduction: Migratory cells via blood circulation or cells adjacent to the root apex may potentially participate in dental pulp tissue regeneration or renewal. This study investigated whether systemically transplanted bone marrow cells can contribute to pulp regeneration in a chimeric mouse model.

Methods: A chimeric mouse model was created through the injection of bone marrow cells from green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgenic C57BL/6 mice into the tail veins of recipient wild-type C57BL/6 mice that had been irradiated with a lethal dose of 8.5 Gy from a high-frequency linear accelerator. These mice were subjected to pulpectomy and pulp revascularization. At 1, 4, and 8 weeks after surgery, in vivo animal imaging and histologic analyses were conducted.

Results: In vivo animal imaging showed that the green biofluorescence signal from the transplanted GFP+ cells increased significantly and was maintained at a high level during the first 4 weeks after surgery. Immunofluorescence analyses of tooth specimens collected at 8 weeks postsurgery showed the presence of nestin+/GFP+, α smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)/GFP+, and NeuN/GFP+ cells within the regenerated pulplike tissue.

Conclusions: These data confirm that transplanted bone marrow-derived cells can contribute to dental pulp regeneration.

Keywords: Bone marrow–derived cells; chimeric mouse; in vivo imaging; pulp regeneration.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Bone Marrow / physiology*
Bone Marrow Cells / cytology
Bone Marrow Cells / metabolism
Bone Marrow Cells / physiology
Bone Marrow Transplantation*
Cell Movement / physiology
Dental Pulp / diagnostic imaging
Dental Pulp / pathology
Dental Pulp / physiology*
Disease Models, Animal
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Transgenic
Pulpectomy / methods
Regeneration / physiology*
Transplantation Chimera
Wound Healing / physiology