EVL Promotes Osteo-/Odontogenic Differentiation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells via Activating JNK Signaling Pathway
Objective. Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) were recognized as a suitable and promising source of stem cells in dental pulp regeneration. However, the mechanism by which hDPSCs differentiation into osteo-/odontogenic lineage remains unclear. Ena/VASP-like protein (EVL) has been found to be invo...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Stem Cells International |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2023/7585111 |
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| Summary: | Objective. Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) were recognized as a suitable and promising source of stem cells in dental pulp regeneration. However, the mechanism by which hDPSCs differentiation into osteo-/odontogenic lineage remains unclear. Ena/VASP-like protein (EVL) has been found to be involved in diverse biological processes. In this study, we explored the role and underlying mechanism of EVL in osteo-/odontogenic differentiation of hDPSCs. Methods. Expression of EVL was detected in hDPSCs by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot (WB) analyses during osteo-/odontogenic differentiation. The function of EVL in osteo-/odontogenic differentiation and involvement of MAPK signaling pathways were evaluated by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and activity, alizarin red staining (ARS), and qRT-PCR and western blot analyses. Results. The expression of EVL was upregulated during osteo-/odontogenic differentiation of hDPSCs. Overexpression of EVL significantly increased osteo-/odontogenic capacity of hDPSCs, which was reflected in increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, ALP activity, mineralized nodule formation, and the expressions of genes related to osteo-/odontogenic differentiation, while downregulation of EVL inhibited it. In addition, EVL activated the JNK pathway and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK during differentiation procedure of hDPSCs. The EVL-enhanced differentiation of DPSCs was suppressed by blocking the JNK pathway, rather than the p38 MAPK pathway. Conclusion. EVL promotes the osteo-/odontogenic differentiation of hDPSCs by activating the JNK pathway, providing a future target for osteo-/odontogenic differentiation and dental pulp regeneration. |
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| ISSN: | 1687-9678 |