The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of mesoporous bioactive glass nanoparticle (MBN)/graphene oxide (GO) composites on the mineralization ability and differentiation potential of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). MBN/GO composites were synthesized using the sol-gel method and colloidal processing to enhance the bioactivity and mechanical properties of MBN. Characterization using FESEM, XRD, FTIR, and Raman spectrometry showed that the composites were successfully synthesized. hDPSCs were then cultured directly on the MBN/GO (40:1 and 20:1) composites in vitro. MBN/GO promoted the proliferation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of hDPSCs. In addition, qRT-PCR showed that MBN/GO regulated the mRNA levels of odontogenic markers (dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), dentine matrix protein 1 (DMP-1), ALP, matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE), bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2), and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX-2)). The mRNA levels of DSPP and DMP-1, two odontogenesis-specific markers, were considerably upregulated in hDPSCs in response to growth on the MBN/GO composites. Western blot analysis revealed similar results. Alizarin red S staining was subsequently performed to further investigate MBN/GO-induced mineralization of hDPSCs. It was revealed that MBN/GO composites promote odontogenic differentiation via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Collectively, the results of the present study suggest that MBN/GO composites may promote the differentiation of hDPSCs into odontoblast-like cells, and potentially induce dentin formation.
Keywords: bioactive glass; graphene oxide; hDPSC; mineralization; odontogenic differentiation.