Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth (SHEDs) and Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs) Display a Similar Profile with Pericytes

Abstract

Background. Pericytes play an important role in forming functional blood vessels and establishing stable and effective microcirculation, which is crucial for vascular tissue engineering. The slow ex vivo expansion rate, limited proliferative capacity, and variability of tissue-specific phenotypes would hinder experimental studies and clinical translation of primary pericytes. In this study, the angiogenic and pericyte functions of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) and postnatal human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) were investigated. Methods. Osteogenic and adipogenic induction assays were performed to evaluate the mesenchymal potential of SHEDs, DPSCs, and pericytes. An in vitro Matrigel angiogenesis assay was conducted to reveal the ability of SHEDs, DPSCs, and pericytes to stabilize vascular-like structures. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to evaluate mRNA expression. Flow cytometry, western blotting, and immunostaining were used to assess the protein expression. Wound healing and transwell assays were performed to evaluate the migration ability of SHEDs, DPSCs, and pericytes. Results. The osteogenic and adipogenic induction assays showed that SHEDs, DPSCs, and pericytes exhibited similar stem cell characteristics. The mRNA expression levels of PDGFR-β, α-SMA, NG2, and DEMSIN in SHEDs and DPSCs cultured in EC medium were significantly higher than those in the control groups on day 7 (P0.05). Conclusion. The SHEDs and DPSCs display a profile similar to that of pericytes. Our study lays a solid theoretical foundation for the clinical use of dental pulp stem cells as a potential candidate to replace pericytes.