Purpose: To analyze the effect of recombinant connective tissue growth factor(rCTGF) on proliferation and differentiation of human dental pulp cells(hDPCs).
Methods: Human dental pulp cells were cultured in vitro and treated with rCTGF at different concentrations (0, 1, 10, 100 ng/mL). The proliferation of dental pulp cells was detected by CCK8 assay. The formation of mineralized nodules was determined by alizarin red staining and half-quantitative alizarin Red S assay. qRT-PCR was utilized to detect the expression of odontogenic differentiation related genes DMP-1, DSPP and OC, and the phosphorylation level of ERK1/2 signaling pathway was detected by Western blot. The data were analyzed with SAS 9.3 software package.
Results: High concentration of rCTGF(100 ng/mL) could promote proliferation of dental pulp cells. After mineralization induction, 10 g/mL rCTGF had the best effect on promoting the formation of mineralized nodules in dental pulp cells, and calcium ion deposition was the most obvious(P<0.05). The expression of odontogenic differentiation related genes DMP-1 and DSPP was significantly up-regulated(P<0.05). Western blot results showed that hDPCs stimulated by 10 ng/mL rCTGF could increase the expression of p-ERK1/2.
Conclusions: rCTGF may promote the proliferation and differentiation of human dental pulp cells through activating ERK1/2 signaling pathway.