Mineral trioxide aggregate enhances the odonto/osteogenic capacity of stem cells from inflammatory dental pulps via NF ‐κB pathway

Objective This study was designed to investigate the effects of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) on the osteo/odontogenic differentiation of inflammatory dental pulp stem cells (i DPSC s). Materials and Methods inflammatory DPSC s were isolated from the inflammatory pulps of rat incisors and cocultured with MTA ‐conditioned medium. MTT assay and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate the proliferation of i DPSC s. Alkaline phosphatase ( ALP ) activity, alizarin red staining, real‐time RT ‐ PCR , and Western blot assay were used to investigate the differentiation capacity as well as the involvement of NF ‐κB pathway in i DPSC s. Results Mineral trioxide aggregate‐treated i DPSC s demonstrated the higher ALP activity and formed more mineralized nodules than the untreated group. The odonto/osteoblastic markers ( Alp , Runx 2/RUNX2, Osx /OSX, Ocn /OCN, and Dspp /DSP, respectively) in MTA‐treated i DPSC s were significantly upregulated as compared with untreated i DPSC s. Mechanistically, cytoplastic phos‐P65 and nuclear P65 in MTA‐treated i DPSC s were significantly increased in a time‐dependent manner. Moreover, the inhibition of NF‐κB pathway suppressed the MTA‐induced odonto/osteoblastic differentiation of i DPSC s, as indicated by decreased ALP levels, weakened mineralization capacity and downregulated levels of odonto/osteoblastic genes ( Osx , Ocn , and Dspp ). Conclusions Mineral trioxide aggregate enhances the odonto/osteogenic capacity of DPSC s from inflammatory sites via activating the NF ‐κB pathway.