Injection of Dental Pulp Stem Cells Promotes Healing of Damaged Bladder Tissue in a Rat Model of Chemically Induced Cystitis

Abstract

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are reported as sources of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). MSCs are used as cell therapy options for various diseases. The present study examined the healing effects of DPSC injection on damaged bladder tissue in a chemically induced cystitis rat model. Cystitis was induced by hydrochloride injection into the bladder of female F344/NSlc rats. On the following day, DPSCs suspended in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) were injected into the bladder and maintained for 1 h (DPSC injection group), while PBS alone was injected as the standard for comparison (PBS injection group). After 2 days following injection, considerable submucosal edema, vascular structure destruction, hemorrhage, and inflammatory cell invasion were observed both in the DPSC and PBS injection groups, with no difference in their degree of submucosal edema and hemorrhage. Six days after injection, vascular structure regeneration was observed in both groups; however, unlike the DPSC injection group, the PBS injection group showed traces of submucosal edema and hemorrhage. These results correlated with tissue concentrations of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. Furthermore, the intercontraction interval was prolonged, and the frequency of nociceptive behaviors was reduced in the DPSC injection group compared with the PBS injection group. DPSCs were found on the bladder epithelium until day 3 after injection. In the DPSC-conditioned media (CM), the trophic factors FGF-2, VEGF, and the C-C and C-X-C families of chemokines were detected. The results of DPSC injection into the cystitis rat model suggested that the injected cells promote the healing of the damaged bladder tissue by exerting various trophic effects while localizing on the bladder epithelium and that MSC injection is a potential novel therapy for interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome.