Effect of MTA and CEM on Mineralization-Associated Gene Expression in Stem Cells Derived from Apical Papilla

This study assessed the effect of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and calcium-enriched mixture (CEM) cement on odontogenic differentiation and mineralization of stem cells.
Methods and Materials: After confirmation of stemness and homogeneity of stem cells derived from apical papilla (SCAPs) using flow cytometry, the cells were exposed for 3 weeks to either osteogenic medium (OS) or CEM extract (CEM) or MTA extract in OS (MTA) or DMEM based regular culture media (negative control). Relative expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), dentine sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), osteocalcin (OSC), and osterix (SP7) were measured at days 14 and 21 using RT-qPCR method. At the same time points Alizarin Red staining method was used to assess mineralization potential of SCAPS. Gene expression changes analysis were made automatically using REST® software and a P After 2 weeks of exposure, expression of all genes were between 3 and 52 times the expression of GADPH (all were upregulated except SP7 in the control, P After 2 weeks, gene expressions were almost comparable in OS, CEM, and MTA. After 3 weeks, OS and MTA upregulated genes much greater than in 2nd week. However, upregulation in CEM might not increase in 3rd week compared to those in 2nd week.