Dental pulp stem cells promote genioglossus repair and systemic amelioration in chronic intermittent hypoxia
Meng-Han Zhang,
Wei-Hua Zhang,
Yun Lu,
Li-Ming Yu,
Xin-Xin Han,
Yan Xu,
Meng-Jie Wu,
Wang-Hui Ding,
Yue-Hua Liu
Affiliations
Meng-Han Zhang
Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Craniomaxillofacial Development and Diseases, Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200001, China
Wei-Hua Zhang
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Craniomaxillofacial Development and Diseases, Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200001, China
Yun Lu
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Craniomaxillofacial Development and Diseases, Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200001, China
Li-Ming Yu
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Craniomaxillofacial Development and Diseases, Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200001, China
Xin-Xin Han
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Craniomaxillofacial Development and Diseases, Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200001, China
Yan Xu
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Craniomaxillofacial Development and Diseases, Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200001, China
Meng-Jie Wu
Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China
Wang-Hui Ding
Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Devices of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310000, China; Corresponding author
Yue-Hua Liu
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Craniomaxillofacial Development and Diseases, Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200001, China; Corresponding author
Summary: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) leads to chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) and is not well addressed by current therapies. The genioglossus (GG) is the largest upper airway dilator controlling OSA pathology, making its repair a potential treatment. This study investigates dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in repairing GG injury in a CIH mouse model. We induced DPSCs to myogenic lineage cells (iDPSCs) and transplanted them into GG of CIH mice. DPSCs/iDPSCs grafts improved EMGGG and muscle type transitions while reducing tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatine kinase (CK) levels, improving body weight. Moreover, iDPSCs increased Pax7+/Ki67+ and human-derived STEM121 cells in the GG compared with DPSCs. DPSCs/iDPSCs enhanced Desmin+ myotube formation in myoblasts under hypoxia in vitro, with iDPSCs increased human-derived myogenic markers and nuclei in myotubes. These results indicate that iDPSCs, beyond their paracrine effects like DPSCs, directly participate in myogenic differentiation, supporting the potential use of DPSCs for OSA treatment.
