Biological Properties of Dental Pulp Stem Cells Isolated from Inflamed and Healthy Pulp and Cultured in an Inflammatory Microenvironment

The aim of this study was to assess whether the biological characteristics of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), such as viability, adhesion to dentin, mineralization, and release of immunomodulatory cytokines, are affected by the inflammatory status of the donor tissue and/or the sustained inflammatory environment. DPSCs were isolated from pulps from 3 caries-free teeth (healthy or hDPSCs), and from 3 teeth with irreversible pulpitis or deep caries (unhealthy DPSCs or uDPSCs). The cells were cultured in odontogenic and osteogenic media with or without lipopolysaccharides. Viability was analyzed by MTT assay at days 1, 3, 5, and 7; adhesion to dentin was evaluated through an environmental scanning electron microscope after 48 hours and through MTT assay; mineralization was analyzed with alizarin red staining after 21 days; and the release of proinflammatory (interleukin 6) and immunosuppressive cytokines (interleukin 10) was measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after 24 hours and 7 days. The inflammatory status of the pulp significantly reduced the viability and mineralization capacity of the DPSCs, although it did not affect the adhesion capacity to dentin or the secretion of the proinflammatory interleukin. The inflammatory microenvironment (lipopolysaccharide) only had a significant impact on the secretion of interleukin 6, which was augmented after 7 days. The inflammatory status of the dental pulp should be taken into account when the use of DPSCs is intended either for research and/or for application in reparative or regenerative therapies.