Effect of Long-time Mild Heat Stress on Proliferative, Differentiation and Bone Regeneration Capabilities of Dental Pulp Stem Cells

The application of various strategies, including heat stress, has been attempted to maintain and improve mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) plasticity and efficiency for bone regeneration. Although cell responses to heat stress are one of the most examined cellular stress responses, most studies, in this context, investigated the effect of that for a short period. Hence, the current study aimed to investigate the properties of MSCs, derived from dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) following long-term heat stress.

DPSCs was loaded on β-tricalcium phosphate scaffold blocks and cultivated at elevated temperature up to 39 ° C. In vitro, DPSC properties, including proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, and bone regeneration in vivo, have been evaluated.

The results of in vitro study showed that mild heat stress for a lengthy period could maintain and improve both the proliferative and differentiation potential of DPSCs during in vitro expansion and differentiation. Also, bone regeneration in vivo showed increased bone regeneration in the cells cultivated at a higher temperature.

This study provided evidence for the beneficial effects of the administration of mild heat stress for an extended period to maintain and improve DPSC properties, which may serve as a starting point for developing clinically compliant procedures for MSC treatment before transplantation.