Today we hear and read a lot about stem cells. The goal of tissue engineering is to replace lost cells, tissues and organs, or to promote their regeneration, or simply to restore impaired function. Researchers at the University of Hong Kong have developed an approach to regenerate lost dental pulp in damaged teeth by transplanting tooth stem cells to mimic the state of the reaction.
Dentists are quite familiar with the negative effects of stress on the oral cavity. However, a recent study by a group of scientists from the University of Hong Kong showed that “positive stress” can be used to enhance the therapeutic potential of dental stem cells by increasing their resistance to injury and disease. According to the university, this study is the first to show that pretreatment of dental stem cells to stress can trigger their adaptive mechanisms to accelerate the regeneration of dental pulp tissue.
As detailed in a university press release, the research team sought to develop an approach to regenerate lost dental pulp in damaged teeth by preparing tooth cells prior to genetic transplantation. The transplant caused the cells to mimic a state of response to low oxygen conditions by activating a protein that induces adaptive changes.
Dr. Varuna Dissanayaka and his research team believe that the results of their research will contribute to the development of new strategies to increase the therapeutic potential of dental stem cells.
Study co-author Dr. Yuanyuan Han explained in a press release: “We already know that this protein activates several key adaptive mechanisms, and therefore we wondered if this phenomenon could be applied to improve the survival of cells after transplantation until adequate blood supply. She said: “[These] cells activate the metabolic machinery to produce energy in low oxygen environments and remove harmful metabolites produced under stressful conditions.”
“Interestingly, we also found that the pre-prepared cells significantly enhanced dental hard tissue formation in the regenerated pulp tissue,” said Dr. Varuna Dissanayaka, lead author of the study and assistant professor in the Department of Oral Biosciences, Faculty of Dentistry.
Noting that previous research has already shown that cells have a number of adaptive mechanisms to stress and that they are regulated by genes in our DNA, Dr. Dissanayaka suggested: “If we can turn these genes on, the subsequent expression of specific proteins could make cells less vulnerable to damage.
Dr. Dissanayaka explained: “Tooth stem cells have an innate ability to survive stress.” He said the research team is looking to take advantage of this ability to use positive stress to promote tooth tissue regeneration. Dr. Dissanayaka believes the results of the study will help advance new strategies that will increase the therapeutic potential of dental stem cells.