Dentine extracellular matrix components liberated by calcium silicate cements and their effects on dental pulp cells

摘要

Although the regenerative capacity of the dentine-pulp complex, induced by pulp capping agents, is well established, the molecular processes by which this occurs, are poorly understood. Calcium silicate cements are powerful stimulators of wound healing in the pulp. This project aimed to investigate the potential of calcium silicate cements to liberate dentine extracellular matrix (dECM) components, characterise growth factors present and determine if these dECM components, or any specific growth factor characterised, had bioactive effects on pulp wound healing. dECM was solubilised from human dentine using solutions of EDTA, calcium hydroxide, white MTA, grey MTA and Biodentine®. Proteomic analysis using cytokine arrays and multiplex ELISA demonstrated the presence of a broad range of growth factors, which were differentially released, suggesting that each agent had differing capacities to liberate such molecules. In vitro analysis of pulp cells exposed to dECM components released by calcium silicate cements, demonstrated increased capacity for cell proliferation and chemotaxis. A previously unidentified growth factor in dECM, hepatocyte growth factor, was shown to induce pulp cell proliferation, migration, differentiation and mineralisation in vitro. Growth factors liberated from dentine by the soluble components of pulp capping agents may regulate reparative events leading to pulp wound healing in vivo.