Shear stress preconditioning enhances periodontal ligament stem cell survival

Objective

The study investigated in vitro the influences of shear stress preconditioning on human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) under serum deprivation.

Design

hPDLSCs were subjected to shear stress at 0.5 and 5 dyn/cm², both with and without serum starvation. Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed using the Resazurin assay and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Gene and protein expressions were analysed by real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescent staining, and Western blotting.

Results

Our results revealed that shear stress potentially mitigated serum derivation-induced cell death by inducing cell viability, enhancing colony formation, and inhibiting cell apoptosis. The addition of an ERK inhibitor inhibited the shear stress-induced cell apoptosis resistance. Shear stress treatment upregulated cell viability-related gene expression, including SOX2, SOD1 and BIRC5. In particular, shear stress promoted the nuclear translocation of SOX2. Meanwhile, the expression of BIRC5 was not inhibited by cycloheximide. Shear stress-induced SOX2 and BIRC5 expression was attenuated by PI3K and ERK inhibitors, respectively.

Conclusions

Shear stress contributes to promoting SOX2 and BIRC5 expression by hPDLSCs, implicating the promotion of stemness and cell survival under serum starvation.