Dental Follicle Stem Cells

DFSCs Significantly Promoted Periodontal Regeneration while the Cell Survival Rate Was Low after Transplantation

Dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs) promote periodontal repair in inflamed tissues, yet their poor survival suggests paracrine factors are key. Wei's team investigated whether periostin-highly expressed by DFSCs under inflammation-mediates this regenerative effect and explored its therapeutic potential.

An experimental periodontitis model was established in SD rats by ligation and bacterial coating, followed by creation of periodontal intrabony defects and transplantation of GFP-labeled DFSCs (sh-nc DFSCs) (Fig. 1A). GFP tracking revealed abundant cells at 3 days, ~40% retention at 7 days, and <5% survival at 2-4 weeks (Fig. 1B, C). Notably, GFP⁺ DFSCs did not differentiate into osteocytes, periodontal ligament cells, or cementoblasts, but remained localized around regenerating tissues (Fig. 1B). Despite poor long-term survival, DFSCs significantly enhanced periodontal regeneration. At 2 weeks, the sh-nc DFSCs group showed superior bone formation with orderly periodontal ligament arrangement compared to disorganized controls (Fig. 1D). By 4 weeks, DFSC-treated defects exhibited dense, plump alveolar bone comparable to healthy tissue, whereas controls displayed minimal bone filling with collapsed soft tissue (Fig. 1E). Micro-CT confirmed significantly higher BV/TV in the sh-nc DFSCs group versus controls, with no difference from healthy rats (Fig. 1F, G), indicating DFSCs promote periodontal regeneration despite limited engraftment.