Butylboronic acid promotes cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, and expression of GJA1, ALP, and NaBC1 in human dental pulp cells in vitro.

The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of n-butylboronic acid (n-BA) on the proliferative activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, expression of hard tissue formation related genes, ALP and GJA1, and boron transporter gene, NaBC1, in human dental pulp cells. Human dental pulp cells were spread in culture medium with n-BA. The proliferative activity was increased in n-BA group. alkaline phosphatase staining and alizarin red S staining identified no obvious differences between the n-BA(+) and n-BA(-) groups. Alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly increased in the n-BA(+) group compared to the n-BA(-) group. Expressions of GJA1, ALP, and NaBC1 in the n-BA(+) group were higher than that of the n-BA(-) group. There were no significant differences between NaBC1-shRNA-transfected group and control group about proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity. The results suggest that n-BA promotes cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, and expression of GJA1, ALP, and NaBC1, in human dental pulp cells.