Naohiko Hasegawa

Effect of neurotrophins on differentiation, calcification and proliferation in cultures of human pulp cells.

Neurotrophins (NTs) are expressed during tooth development. However, little is known about a role of NTs in differentiation of pulp cells into mineralizing cells. In this study, mRNA expressions of hard tissue‐related proteins, calcification and proliferation are examined in cultures of human pulp (HP) cells. Nerve growth factor (NGF), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin (NT)‐3 and NT‐4/5 increased the mRNA levels of dentin sialophsphoprotein, alkaline phosphatase, osteopontin, type I collagen and bone morphogenetic protein‐2 and mineral deposition in cultures of HP cells. The increased levels and manners varied, depending on the concentrations of NTs and hard‐tissue related protein tested. On the other hand, only NGF significantly stimulated DNA synthesis in cultures of HP cells. These findings suggest that NTs characteristically regulate hard‐tissue related protein expression, calcification and proliferation in pulp cells. NTs may accelerate pulp cell differentiation.