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. 2025 Mar 21;24(1):37.
doi: 10.1186/s12938-025-01367-8.

New considerations in selecting donors for dental pulp stem cells: a pilot study

Mingchang Hu  1 , Qianqian Zhang  2 , Jidong Xu  3 , Linlin Xu  1 , Xuecheng Xu  2 , Jiajia Wang  4 , Yu Song  5
Affiliations

New considerations in selecting donors for dental pulp stem cells: a pilot study

Mingchang Hu et al. Biomed Eng Online. .

Abstract

Background/purpose: Tissue engineering based on stem cell therapy necessitates a substantial quantity of high-quality stem cells. However, current sources face limitations, including narrow donor pools, compromised biological properties due to cryopreservation, and cellular senescence resulting from in vitro passaging and expansion. This study examines the impact of mild periodontitis on the biological performance of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) to explore the potential of broadening the donor pool for these cells.

Materials and methods: The experiment included two variables: age and the presence of periodontitis. DPSCs were isolated from six healthy subjects and six patients with mild periodontitis. Healthy subjects were categorized into Groups A (28-32 years) and B (52-54 years), and patients with mild periodontitis were categorized into Groups C (31-33 years) and D (50-53 years). The analyses included cell morphology, proliferation rate, multilineage differentiation capacity, apoptosis, and surface marker expression.

Result: No significant differences in cell morphology, pluripotency, or senescence were observed between healthy controls and periodontitis patients across age groups. Additionally, data on proliferation, pluripotency, and senescence were not significantly different. In healthy subjects, increased age was correlated with more elongated, flattened, and broader cells, alongside greater heterogeneity and intercellular granules. The proliferation and differentiation capacities decreased, whereas the degree of apoptosis increased. Similar trends were noted in patients with periodontitis.

Conclusion: The biological properties of DPSCs remain unchanged in teeth with mild periodontitis, providing valuable insights for addressing the shortage of DPSCs in tissue engineering. Teeth with mild periodontitis have the potential to be pulp stem cell donors.

Keywords: Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs); Periodontitis; Regenerative medicine; Tissue engineering.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Qingdao Stomatological Hospital (2023KQYX060, June 2023). Informed consent was obtained from all the subjects involved in the study. Written informed consent has been obtained from the patient(s) to publish this paper. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Microscopic observations and proliferative capacity of the groups. a Microscopic observations of DPSCs from Groups A, B, C, and D; x: cytoplasm; y: cellular debris and inclusions. b Proliferation changes of DPSCs from Groups A, B, C, and D
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Expression results of surface markers on DPSCs from Groups A, B, C, and D
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The multidifferentiation capacity of DPSCs. a ORO staining for lipogenic diferentiation: numerous lipid droplets form and are colored red. b ARS staining for osteogenic differentiation: numerous calcium nodules have formed and are deeply stained. z: calcium nodule. c Quantitative analysis of ORO staining. d Quantitative analysis of ARS staining. e Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR results for adipogenic and osteogenic gene expression. Expression of ALP and RUNX2, markers associated with osteogenic differentiation, and PPARγ2 and LPL, markers associated with adipogenic differentiation
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Senescence of DPSCs. a β-Galactosidase staining: cells colored blue are senescent cells. b The percentage of positive stained DPSC
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Degree of apoptosis in dental pulp stem cells. a Apoptosis detection for DPSCs from Groups A, B, C, and D. Early and late apoptosis are distinctly compartmentalized from living cells. b Quantitative analysis of apoptosis detection
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