Effect of TNF-α on the proliferation and osteogenesis of human periodontal mesenchymal stem cells

Exp Ther Med. 2021 May;21(5):434. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.9851. Epub 2021 Feb 26.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) on the proliferation and osteogenesis of human periodontal mesenchymal stem cells (hPDLSCs). Antigen expression in hPDLSCs was detected by flow cytometry. hPDLSCs were divided into four groups: A control group with no TNF-α treatment, and three experimental groups treated with 0.1, 1 and 10 ng/ml TNF-α, respectively. The effect of TNF-α on proliferation of hPDLSCs in vitro was detected using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Differentiation into an osteogenic lineage was detected by alkaline phosphatase sand alizarin red staining, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteocalcin (OCN) and type I collagen (Col-I) were detected using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot respectively. Following treatment with 10 ng/ml TNF-α, proliferation was significantly increased compared with an untreated control group (P<0.01). Additionally, there was a significant inhibition of alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity, alizarin red mineralization node size, and in the gene and protein expression levels of osteogenic differentiation markers, including Runx2, OCN and COL-I (all, P<0.05). Taken together, the results indicated that treatment with 10 ng/ml TNF-α promoted the proliferation of hPDLSCs in vitro and inhibited osteogenic differentiation of hPDLSCs, providing an experimental basis for regulation of hPDLSC-mediated periodontal tissue regeneration.

Keywords: differentiation; human periodontal mesenchymal stem cell; osteogenesis; proliferation; tumor necrosis factor-α.

Grants and funding

Funding: This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 31800816), and Fundamental Research Program Funding of the Ninth People's Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (grant nos. JYZZ109 and JYZZ038).