IFN-γ regulates human dental pulp stem cells behavior via NF-κB and MAPK signaling

Sci Rep. 2017 Jan 18:7:40681. doi: 10.1038/srep40681.

Abstract

During caries, dental pulp expresses a range of pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to the infectious challenge. Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) is a dimerized soluble cytokine, which is critical for immune responses. Previous study has demonstrated that IFN-γ at relative high concentration (100 ng/mL) treatment improved the impaired dentinogenic and immunosuppressive regulatory functions of disease-derived dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). However, little is known about the regulatory effects of IFN-γ at relative low concentration on healthy DPSC behavior (including proliferation, migration, and multiple-potential differentiation). Here we demonstrate that IFN-γ at relatively low concentrations (0.5 ng/mL) promoted the proliferation and migration of DPSCs, but abrogated odonto/osteogenic differentiation. Additionally, we identified that NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways are both involved in the process of IFN-γ-regulated odonto/osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs. DPSCs treated with IFN-γ and supplemented with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC, an NF-κB inhibitor) or SB203580 (a MAPK inhibitor) showed significantly improved potential for odonto/osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs both in vivo and in vitro. These data provide important insight into the regulatory effects of IFN-γ on the biological behavior of DPSCs and indicate a promising therapeutic strategy for dentin/pulp tissue engineering in future endodontic treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dental Pulp / cytology*
  • Humans
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism*
  • Osteogenesis
  • Phenotype
  • Signal Transduction
  • Stem Cells / metabolism*

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • NF-kappa B
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases