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Immunohistochemical analysis of two stem cell markers of α-smooth muscle actin and STRO-1 during wound healing of human dental pulp

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Abstract

Recent studies have employed two markers, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and STRO-1, to detect cells with mesenchymal stem cell properties in dental pulp. The present study aimed to explore the expression profile of α-SMA and STRO-1 in intact dental pulp as well as during wound healing in adult dental pulp tissue. Healthy pulps were mechanically exposed and capped with the clinically used materials MTA (ProRoot White MTA) or Ca(OH)2 to induce a mineralized barrier at the exposed surface. After 7–42 days, the teeth were extracted and processed for immunohistochemical analysis using antibodies against α-SMA, STRO-1 and nestin (a neurogenic cytoskeletal protein expressed in odontoblasts). In normal pulp, α-SMA was detected in vascular smooth muscle cells and pericytes. Double immunofluorescent staining with STRO-1 and α-SMA showed that STRO-1 was localized in vascular smooth muscle cells, pericytes and endothelial cells, in addition to nerve fibers. During the process of dental pulp healing, numerous α-SMA-positive cells emerged at the wound margin at 14 days, and the initially formed mineralized barrier was lined with α-SMA-positive cells similar in appearance to reparative odontoblasts, some of which co-expressed nestin. STRO-1 was abundant in nerve fibers. In the advanced stage of mineralized barrier formation at 42 days, cells lining the barrier were stained with nestin, and no staining of α-SMA was detected in those cells. These observations indicate that α-SMA-positive cells temporarily appear along the wound margin during the earlier phase of mineralized barrier formation and STRO-1 is confined in vascular and neuronal elements.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant-in-aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan (no. 22592119).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Department of Oral Health Science, Course for Oral Life Science, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 2-5274 Gakkocho-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata, 951-8514, Japan

    Nagako Yoshiba, Kunihiko Yoshiba, Naoto Ohkura, Yoshimi Shigetani, Erika Takei & Takashi Okiji

  2. Department of Oral Histology, Institute for Dental Science, Matsumoto Dental University, Shiojiri, Nagano, Japan

    Akihiro Hosoya & Hiroaki Nakamura

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  1. Nagako Yoshiba
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  2. Kunihiko Yoshiba
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  3. Naoto Ohkura
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  4. Yoshimi Shigetani
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  5. Erika Takei
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  6. Akihiro Hosoya
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  7. Hiroaki Nakamura
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  8. Takashi Okiji
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Correspondence to Nagako Yoshiba.

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Yoshiba, N., Yoshiba, K., Ohkura, N. et al. Immunohistochemical analysis of two stem cell markers of α-smooth muscle actin and STRO-1 during wound healing of human dental pulp. Histochem Cell Biol 138, 583–592 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00418-012-0978-4

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