Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the synergistic effect of epithelial rests of Malassez cells (ERM) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) on proliferation, cementogenic and osteogenic differentiation of stem cells derived from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED).
Materials and methods: SHED were co-cultured with ERM with/without TGF-β1. Then, SHED proliferation, morphological appearance, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, mineralization behaviour and gene/protein expression of cemento/osteoblastic phenotype were evaluated.
Results: TGF-β1 enhanced SHED proliferation when either cultured alone or co-cultured with ERM. ERM induced the cementoblastic differentiation of SHED which was significantly accelerated when treated with TGF-β1. This activity was demonstrated by high ALP activity, strong mineral deposition and upregulation of cementum/bone-related gene and protein expressions (i.e. ALP, collagen type I, bone sialoprotein, osteocalcin and cementum attachment protein).
Conclusions: ERM were able to induce SHED differentiation along the cemento/osteoblastic lineage that was triggered in the presence of TGF-β1.
Clinical relevance: The cemento/osteoblastic differentiation capability of SHED possesses a therapeutic potential in endodontic and periodontal tissue engineering.
Keywords: Cementogenic differentiation; Epithelial rests of Malassez cells; Osteogenic differentiation; Stem cells of human exfoliated deciduous teeth; Transforming growth factor-β1.