Dental pulp regeneration via dental pulp stem cells conditioned media and curcumin-loaded nanocomposite hydrogel: an in vitro and in vivo study

Abstract

Dental pulp regeneration has emerged as a promising area of research in dentistry, aiming to restore damaged or diseased dental pulp, which is crucial for maintaining tooth vitality and function. There is a critical need to develop filler materials to treat dental pulp injuries. In the current research, we developed a nanocomposite delivery system for dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) conditioned media and curcumin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (CURCNPs) for treating dental pulp tissue injury in a rat model. The delivery system was biocompatible with DPSCs and protected them from oxidative stress. In addition, the developed nanocomposite hydrogel exhibited remarkable anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative functions. An in vivo study showed that dental pulp tissues treated with hydrogels loaded with the conditioned media and CURCNPs had significantly higher healing activity than other groups. This healing effect was associated with the upregulation of VEGF and TGF-β and the downregulation of TNF-α and IL-6. In summary, our nanocomposite delivery system, integrating DPSCs conditioned media and CURCNPs, demonstrates promising biocompatibility and remarkable healing potential for treating dental pulp injuries, suggesting clinical applicability.