Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and wound healing effects of pterostilbene in human gingival fibroblasts in vitro

Abstract

We aimed to investigate the wound-healing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects of pterostilbene (PTS) on human gingival fibroblasts (GF). Different concentrations of PTS were applied to GFs and cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay. GFs were stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the study groups were determined as LPS, LPS + 1 μM PTS, LPS + 10 μM PTS, and control. The most effective PTS concentrations were applied in a wound-healing model, with cell counts in the wound area assessed at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h. The effect of PTS on the release of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and collagen type I (COL I) was assessed at 24 and 48 h by ELISA. The data was statistically analyzed. Our results showed that PTS had a dose-dependently negative effect on wound healing and cell proliferation at 10 μM concentration, but not at low concentration (1 μM). PTS exhibited a potent anti-inflammatory effect by reducing IL-6 and TNF-α levels, while also enhancing antioxidant activity, as evidenced by increased GSH-Px levels in the LPS + 1 μM PTS group (P < 0.05). According to our results, PTS could be a potential and promising substance with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects on LPS-stimulated GF. Therefore our results have merit in terms of providing pioneering data for future studies.

Keywords: Anti-inflammatory; Antioxidant; Gingival fibroblast cells; Pterostilbene; Wound healing.

Fig. 1

In vitro wound healing model images of human gingival fibroblast cells after 24, 48, and 72 h of incubation

Fig. 2

Evaluation of percent cell viability rates of gingival fibroblasts under different doses of pterostilbene applications at the 24th hour, Bars indicate ratios, error bars indicate standard deviation, *Statistical significance between the control group and other groups (*: P < 0.05)

Fig. 3

Gingival fibroblast cell percentages according to hours in the created wound model

Fig. 4

Evaluation of IL1-β, TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-β, SOD, GSH-Px, bFGF and COLI levels by ELISA method from the supernatants obtained from the cell culture medium of the groups at 24th and 48th hours. a 24th hour IL-1β ELISA findings. b 48th hour IL-1β ELISA findings. c 24th hour TNF-α ELISA findings. d 48th hour TNF-α ELISA findings. e 24th hour IL-6 ELISA findings. f 48th hour IL-6 ELISA findings. g 24th hour TGF-β ELISA findings. h 48th hour TGF-β ELISA findings. i 24th hour SOD ELISA findings. j 48th hour SOD ELISA findings. k 24th hour GSH-Px ELISA findings. l 48th hour GSH-Px ELISA findings. m 24th hour bFGF ELISA findings. n 48th hour bFGF ELISA findings. o 24th hour COLI ELISA findings. p 48th hour COLI ELISA findings. Bars indicate ratios, error bars indicate standard deviation, *Statistical significance between the control group and other groups (*: P < 0.05)