Therapeutic Potential of Dental Pulp Stem Cell Secretome for Alzheimer's Disease Treatment: An In Vitro Study

Dental stem cells improve memory and reduce cell death in rat seizure model

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that significantly affects the quality of life of patients. In this study, we aim to evaluate the effectiveness of dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) transplantation in decreasing inflammation and cell death in brain cells, thus reducing seizure damage. We induced seizures in rats using intraperitoneal injections of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). In the PTZ + DPSC group, we conducted bilateral hippocampal transplantation of DPSCs in PTZ-lesioned rat models. After 1 month, we performed post-graft analysis and measured some behavioral factors, such as working memory and long-term memory, using a T-maze test and passive avoidance test, respectively. We investigated the immunohistopathology and distribution of astrocyte cells through light microscopy and Sholl analysis. Additionally, we employed the Voronoi tessellation method to estimate the spatial distribution of the cells in the hippocampus. Compared to the control group, we observed a reduction in astrogliosis, astrocyte process length, the number of branches, and intersections distal to the soma in the hippocampus of the PTZ + DPSC group. Further analysis indicated that the grafted DPSCs decreased the expression of caspase-3 in the hippocampus of rats with induced seizures. Moreover, the DPSCs transplant protected hippocampal pyramidal neurons against PTZ toxicity and improved the spatial distribution of the hippocampal neurons. Our findings suggest that DPSCs transplant can be an effective modifier of astrocyte reactivation and inflammatory responses.

Engineered exosome therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases

An increase in life expectancy comes with a higher risk for age-related neurological and cognitive dysfunctions. Given the psycho-socioeconomic burden due to unhealthy aging in the coming decades, the United Nations has declared 2021-2030 as a decade of healthy aging. In this line, multipotent mesenchymal stromal cell-based therapeutics received special interest from the research community. Based on decades of research on cell therapy, a consensus has emerged that the therapeutic effects of cell therapy are due to the paracrine mechanisms rather than cell replacement. Exosomes, a constituent of the secretome, are nano-sized vesicles that have been a focus of intense research in recent years as a possible therapeutic agent or as a cargo to deliver drugs of interest into the central nervous system to induce neurogenesis, reduce neuroinflammation, confer neuroregeneration/neuroprotection, and improve cognitive and motor functions. In this review, we have discussed the neuroprotective properties of exosomes derived from adult mesenchymal stem cells, with a special focus on the role of exosomal miRNAs. We also reviewed various strategies to improve exosome production and their content for better therapeutic effects. Further, we discussed the utilization of ectomesenchymal stem cells like dental pulp stem cells and their exosomes in treating neurodegenerative diseases.

Insights on the Characteristics and Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-derived Exosomes for Mitigation of Alzheimer's Disease's Pathogenicity: A Systematic Review

Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a progressive neurodegenerative disease with no cure. Treatment of AD relies on administering drugs that only subside the symptoms. In recent studies, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-exosomes have been marked to possess therapeutic potential for treating AD. This study aims to systematically review and analyse findings that focus on the isolation, characterisation, and sources of MSC-derived exosomes used to unravel the therapeutic potential of these exosomes targeting AD using in vitro and in vivo models. It is hypothesised that MSC-exosomes exhibit high therapeutic potential for AD treatment by exerting various modes of action. PubMed, Scopus, and Medline were used to find relevant published works from January 2016 until December 2020, using assigned keywords including "Alzheimer's disease", "secretome", and "exosomes". Only research articles meeting the predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria were selected and analysed. The risk of bias was assessed using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation tool (OHAT). A total of 17 eligible in vivo and in vitro studies were included in this review. Bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) were the most used source for exosome isolation, even though studies on exosomes from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and human umbilical cord stem cells (HUCSCs) provide more information on the characteristics. When the risk of bias was assessed, the studies presented various levels of biases. Notably, the in vitro and in vivo studies revealed neuroprotective properties of MSC-exosomes through different modes of action to alleviate AD pathology. Our review discovered that most MSC exosomes could degrade Aβ plaques, enhance neurogenesis, extenuate neuroinflammatory response through microglial activation, regulate apoptosis and reduce oxidative stress. Delivery of exosomal micro-RNAs was also found to reduce neuroinflammation. Findings from this review provided convincing systematic evidence highlighting the therapeutic properties of MSC-derived exosomes as a prospective source for cell-free (acellular) therapy in treating AD.

Unveiling the Complex Role of Exosomes in Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative illness, characterized by memory loss and cognitive decline, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases. AD is characterized by senile plaques made up of amyloid β (Aβ) protein, intracellular neurofibrillary tangles caused by hyperphosphorylation of tau protein linked with microtubules, and neuronal loss. Currently, therapeutic treatments and nanotechnological developments are effective in treating the symptoms of AD, but a cure for the illness has not yet been found. Recently, the increased study of extracellular vesicles (EVs) has led to a growing awareness of their significant involvement in neurodegenerative disorders, including AD. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that transport various components including messenger RNAs, non-coding RNAs, proteins, lipids, DNA, and other bioactive compounds from one cell to another, facilitating information transmission and material movement. There is growing evidence indicating that exosomes have complex functions in AD. Exosomes may have a dual role in Alzheimer's disease by contributing to neuronal death and also helping to alleviate the pathological progression of the disease. Therefore, the primary aim of this review is to outline the updated understandings on exosomes biogenesis and many functions of exosomes in the generation, conveyance, distribution, and elimination of hazardous proteins related to Alzheimer's disease. This review is intended to provide novel insights for understanding the development, specific treatment, and early detection of Alzheimer's disease.

Restoring Synaptic Function: How Intranasal Delivery of 3D-Cultured hUSSC Exosomes Improve Learning and Memory Deficits in Alzheimer's Disease

Memory problems are often the first signs of cognitive impairment related to Alzheimer's disease (AD), and stem cells and stem cell-derived exosomes (EXOs) have been studied for their therapeutic potential to improve the disease signs. While many studies have shown the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of stem cells and exosomes on improving memory in different AD models, there is still insufficient data to determine how they modulate neural plasticity to enhance spatial memory and learning ability. Therefore, we conducted a study to investigate the effects of exosomes derived from 3D-cultured human Unrestricted Somatic Stem Cells (hUSSCs) on spatial memory and neuroplasticity markers in a sporadic rat model of AD. Using male Wistar rats induced by intracerebral ventricle injection of streptozotocin, we demonstrated that intranasal administration of hUSSC-derived exosomes could decrease Aβ accumulation and improve learning and memory in the Morris water maze test. We also observed an increase in the expression of pre-synaptic and post-synaptic molecules involved in neuronal plasticity, including NMDAR1, integrin β1, synaptophysin, pPKCα, and GAP-43, in the hippocampus. Our findings suggest that intranasal administration of exosomes can ameliorate spatial learning and memory deficits in rats, at least in part, by increasing the expression of neuroplasticity proteins. These results may encourage researchers to further investigate the molecular pathways involved in memory improvement after stem cell and exosome therapy, with the goal of increasing the efficacy and safety of exosome-based treatments for AD.

Anti-inflammatory Effects of Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell and Autologous Conditioned Serum on Oligodendrocyte, Astrocyte, and Microglial Specific Gene in Cuprizone Animal Model

BACKGROUND

Inflammation, myelin loss, astrocytosis, and microgliosis are pathological signs of the autoimmune and demyelinating disease known as multiple sclerosis (MS). Axonal and neuronal degenerations have basic molecular pathways. The remyelination process can be influenced by the secretome of mesenchymal stem cells due to their capacity for immunomodulation, differentiation, and neuroprotection. Microglial cells are divided into two subgroups: M1 and M2 phenotypes. A crucial component of the microglial function is the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R). We aimed to evaluate the immunomodulating effects of secretome and conditioned serum on the microglial phenotypes and improvement of demyelination in a cuprizone model of MS.

METHODS

The study used 48 male C57BL/6 mice, which were randomly distributed into 6 subgroups (n = 8), i.e., control, cuprizone, MSC (confluency 40% and 80%) secretome group, and blood derived conditioned serum (autologous and humanized). The animals were fed with 0.2% cuprizone diet for 12 weeks. Supplements were injected into the lateral tail vein using a 27-gauge needle every 3 days 500 μl per injection.

RESULTS

At 14 days after transplantation, animals from each group were sacrificed and analyzed by Real time PCR. The results showed that the administration of MSC secretome can efficiently reduce expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL6 and TNF-α) in the corpus callosum; also, conditioned serum downregulated IL-1. Moreover, the oligodendrocyte-specific gene was upregulated by secretome and conditioned serum treatment. Also, the expression of microglial- specific gene was reduced after treatment.

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrated that the secretome isolated from MSCs used as a therapy decreased and increased the M1 and M2 levels, respectively, to control neuroinflammation in CPZ mice. In conclusion, the current study showed the viability of devising a method to prepare suitable MSCs and secreted factor to cure neurodegenerative diseases, as well as the capability of regulating MSC secretome patterns by manipulating the cell density.

Analogies and Differences Between Dental Stem Cells: Focus on Secretome in Combination with Scaffolds in Neurological Disorders

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are well known for their beneficial effects, differentiation capacity and regenerative potential. Dental-derived MSCs (DSCs) are more easily accessible and have a non-invasive isolation method rather than MSCs isolated from other sources (umbilical cord, bone marrow, and adipose tissue). In addition, DSCs appear to have a relevant neuro-regenerative potential due to their neural crest origin. However, it is now known that the beneficial effects of MSCs depend, at least in part, on their secretome, referring to all the bioactive molecules (neurotrophic factors) released in the conditioned medium (CM) or in the extracellular vesicles (EVs) in particular exosomes (Exos). In this review, we described the similarities and differences between various DSCs. Our focus was on the secretome of DSCs and their applications in cell therapy for neurological disorders. For neuro-regenerative purposes, the secretome of different DSCs has been tested. Among these, the secretome of dental pulp stem cells and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth have been the most widely studied. Both CM and Exos obtained from DSCs have been shown to promote neurite outgrowth and neuroprotective effects as well as their combination with scaffold materials (to improve their functional integration in the tissue). For these reasons, the secretome obtained from DSCs in combination with scaffold materials may represent a promising tissue engineering approach for neuroprotective and neuro-regenerative treatments.

Differential Expression of MicroRNA (MiR-27, MiR-145) among Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs) Following Neurogenic Differentiation Stimuli

This study sought to evaluate the expression of previously identified microRNAs known to regulate neuronal differentiation in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), including miR-27, miR-125, miR-128, miR-135, miR-140, miR-145, miR-218 and miR-410, among dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) under conditions demonstrated to induce neuronal differentiation. Using an approved protocol, n = 12 DPSCs were identified from an existing biorepository and treated with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), which were previously demonstrated to induce neural differentiation markers including Sox1, Pax6 and NFM among these DPSCs. This study revealed that some microRNAs involved in the neuronal differentiation of MSCs were also differentially expressed among the DPSCs, including miR-27 and miR-145. In addition, this study also revealed that administration of bFGF and EGF was sufficient to modulate miR-27 and miR-145 expression in all of the stimulus-responsive DPSCs but not among all of the non-responsive DPSCs-suggesting that further investigation of the downstream targets of these microRNAs may be needed to fully evaluate and understand these observations.

Markers of dental pulp stem cells in in vivo developmental context

Teeth and their associated tissues contain several populations of mesenchymal stem cells, one of which is represented by dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). These cells have mainly been characterised in vitro and numerous positive and negati ve markers for these cells have been suggested. To investigate the presence and localization of these molecules during development, forming dental pulp was examined using the mouse first mandibular molar as a model. The stages corresponding to postnatal (P) days 0, 7, 14, and 21 were investigated. The expression was monitored using customised PCR Arrays. Additionally, in situ localization of the key trio of markers (Cd73, Cd90, Cd105 coded by genes Nt5e, Thy1, Eng) was performed at prenatal and postnatal stages using immunohistochemistry. The expression panel of 24 genes assigned as in vitro markers of DPSCs or mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) revealed their developmental dynamics during formation of dental pulp mesenchyme. Among the positive markers, Vcam1, Fgf2, Nes were identified as increasing and Cd44, Cd59b, Mcam, Alcam as decreasing between perinatal vs. postnatal stages towards adulthood. Within the panel of negative DPSC markers, Cd14, Itgb2, Ptprc displayed increased and Cd24a decreased levels at later stages of pulp formation. Within the key trio of markers, Nt5e did not show any significant expression difference within the investigated period. Thy1 displayed a strong decrease between P0 and P7 while Eng increased between these stages. In situ localization of Cd73, Cd90 and Cd105 showed them overlap in differentiated odontoblasts and in the sub-odontoblastic layer that is speculated to host odontoblast progenitors. The highly prevalent expression of particularly Cd73 and Cd90 opens the question of potential multiple functions of these molecules. The results from this study add to the in vitro based knowledge by showing dynamics in the expression of DPSC/MSC markers during dental pulp formation in an in vivo context and thus with respect to the natural environment important for commitment of stem cells.

Investigating the Therapeutics Effects of Oral Cavity Derived Stem Cells on Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Systematic Review

Introduction

Published data obtained from in vitro and in vivo studies was reviewed systematically and analyzed critically to evaluate the effect of oral cavity-derived stem cells (OCDSCs) on the recovery or therapy of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Alzheimer disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington (HD) diseases, and Parkinson disease (PD).

Methods

An electronic search was accomplished. References of included articles were also manually searched. Studies were critically evaluated for suitability against the inclusion/exclusion criteria and the data was extracted. Bias risk evaluation of the studies and evidence synthesis were conducted.

Results

A total of 14 in vivo and 10 in vitro studies met the inclusion criteria. PD was induced in 10 in vivo and 7 in vitro studies, while AD was induced in 2 in vivo and 4 in vitro studies. Two studies (1 in vitro and 1 in vivo) evaluated ALS disease and 1 in vivo study evaluated HD. Moderate evidence was found for in vitro studies reporting the positive effect of OCDSCs on PD or AD recovery. Strong evidence was found for in vivo studies in which PD animal models were used; meanwhile, moderate evidence was found for the impact of OCDSCs on AD recovery. Limited evidence was found for in vivo studies evaluating HD and ALS.

Conclusion

Although studies reported favorable data regarding the OCDSCs on NDs, they presented a considerable risk of bias. Because of heterogeneous study characteristics, the current study recommends improving standardized methods to evaluate the therapeutic effects of OCDSCs on the NDs.

The Importance of Stem Cells Isolated from Human Dental Pulp and Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth as Therapeutic Approach in Nervous System Pathologies

Despite decades of research, no therapies are available to halt or slow down the course of neuro-degenerative disorders. Most of the drugs developed to fight neurodegeneration are aimed to alleviate symptoms, but none has proven adequate in altering the course of the pathologies. Cell therapy has emerged as an intriguing alternative to the classical pharmacological approach. Cell therapy consists of the transplantation of stem cells that can be obtained from various embryonal and adult tissues. Whereas the former holds notable ethical issue, adult somatic stem cells can be obtained without major concerns. However, most adult stem cells, such as those derived from the bone marrow, are committed toward the mesodermal lineage, and hence need to be reprogrammed to induce the differentiation into the neurons. The discovery of neural crest stem cells in the dental pulp, both in adults' molar and in baby teeth (dental pulp stem cells and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth, respectively) prompted researchers to investigate their utility as therapy in nervous system disorders. In this review, we recapitulate the advancements on the application of these stem cells in preclinical models of neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting differences and analogies in their maintenance, differentiation, and potential clinical application.

Application of Dental Pulp Stem Cells for Bone and Neural Tissue Regeneration in Oral and Maxillofacial Region

In the oral and maxillofacial region, the treatment of severe bone defects, caused by fractures, cancers, congenital abnormalities, etc., remains a great challenge. In addition, neurological disorders are frequently accompanied by these bone defects or the treatments for them. Therefore, novel bone regenerative techniques and methods to repair nerve injury are eagerly sought. Among them, strategies using dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are promising options. Human DPSCs can be collected easily from extracted teeth and are now considered a type of mesenchymal stem cell with higher clonogenic and proliferative potential. DPSCs have been getting attention as a cell source for bone and nerve regeneration. In this article, we reviewed the latest studies on osteogenic or neural differentiation of DPSCs as well as bone or neural regeneration methods using DPSCs and discussed the potential of DPSCs for bone and nerve tissue regeneration.

VEGFA-modified DPSCs combined with LC-YE-PLGA NGCs promote facial nerve injury repair in rats

Objective

The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA)-overexpressing rat dental pulp stem cells (rDPSCs) combined with laminin-coated and yarn-encapsulated poly(_l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nerve guidance conduit (LC-YE-PLGA NGC) in repairing 10 mm facial nerve injury in rats.

Study Design

rDPSCs isolated from rat mandibular central incisor were cultured and identified in vitro and further transfected with the lentiviral vectors (Lv-VEGFA). To investigate the role and mechanisms of VEGFA in neurogenic differentiation in vitro, semaxanib (SU5416), Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blotting were performed. Ten-millimeter facial nerve defect models in rats were established and bridged by LC-YE-PLGA NGCs. The repair effects were detected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), compound muscle action potential (CMAP), immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence.

Results

Extracted cells exhibited spindle-shaped morphology, presented typical markers (CD44⁺CD90⁺CD34^-CD45^-), and presented multidirectional differentiation potential. The DPSCs with VEGFA overexpression were constructed successfully. VEGFA enhanced the proliferation and neural differentiation ability of rDPSCs, and the expression of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and βIII-tubulin was increased. However, these trends were reversed with the addition of SU5416. This suggests that VEGFA mediates the above effects mainly through vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) binding. The LC-YE-NGC basically meet the requirements of facial nerve repair. For the in vivo experiment, the CMAP latency period was shorter in DPSCS-VEGFA-NGC group in comparison with other experimental groups, while the amplitude was increased. Such functional recovery correlated well with an increase in histological improvement. Further study suggested that VEGFA-modified DPSCs could increase the myelin number, thickness and axon diameter of facial nerve. NSE, βIII-tubulin and S100 fluorescence intensity and immunohistochemical staining intensity were significantly enhanced.

Conclusion

VEGFA-modified rDPSCs combined with LC-YE-PLGA NGCs have certain advantages in the growth and functional recovery of facial nerves in rats.

Advanced molecular therapies for neurological diseases: focus on stroke, alzheimer's disease, and parkinson's disease

Neurological diseases (NDs) are one of the leading causes of disability and the second leading cause of death globally. Among these stroke, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD) are the most common NDs. A rise in the absolute number of individuals affected with these diseases indicates that the current treatment strategies in management and prevention of these debilitating diseases are not effective sufficiently. Therefore, novel treatment strategies are being explored to cure these diseases by addressing the causative mechanisms at the molecular level. Advanced therapies like gene therapy (gene editing and gene silencing) and stem cell therapies aim to cure diseases by gene editing, gene silencing and tissue regeneration, respectively. Gene editing results in the deletion of the aberrant gene or insertion of the corrected gene which can be executed using the CRISPR/Cas gene editing tool a promising treatment strategy being explored for many other prevalent diseases. Gene silencing using siRNA silences the gene by inhibiting protein translation, thereby silencing its expression. Stem cell therapy aims to regenerate damaged cells or tissues because of their ability to divide into any type of cell in the human body. Among these approaches, gene editing and gene silencing have currently been applied in vitro and to animal models, while stem cell therapy has reached the clinical trial stage for the treatment of NDs. The current status of these strategies suggests a promising outcome in their clinical translation.

Brain Homogenate of a Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease Modifies the Secretome of 3D Cultured Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells: A Potential Neuroregenerative Therapy

Background

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease leading to neuronal cell death and manifested by cognitive disorders and behavioral impairment. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are one of the most promising candidates to stimulate neuroregeneration and prevent disease progression. Optimization of MSC culturing protocols is a key strategy to increase the therapeutic potential of the secretome.

Objectives

Here, we investigated the effect of brain homogenate of a rat model of AD (BH-AD) on the enhancement of protein secretion in the secretome of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) when cultured in a 3D environment. Moreover, the effect of this modified secretome was examined on neural cells to study the impact of the conditioned medium (CM) on stimulation of regeneration or immunomodulation in AD.

Methods

PDLSCs were isolated and characterized. Then, the spheroids of PDLSCs were generated in a modified 3D culture plate. PDLSCs-derived CM was prepared in the presence of BH-AD (PDLSCs-HCM) and the absence of it (PDLSCs-CM). The viability of C6 glioma cells was assessed after exposure to different concentrations of both CMs. Then, a proteomic analysis was performed on the CMs.

Results

Differentiation into adipocytes and high expression of MSCs markers verified the precise isolation of PDLSCs. The PDLSC spheroids were formed after 7 days of 3D culturing, and their viability was confirmed. The effect of CMs on C6 glioma cell viability showed that both CMs at low concentrations (> 20 mg/mL) had no cytotoxic effect on C6 neural cells. The results showed that PDLSCs-HCM contains higher concentrations of proteins compared to PDLSCs-CM, including Src-homology 2 domain (SH2)-containing PTPs (SHP-1) and muscle glycogen phosphorylase (PYGM) proteins. SHP-1 has a role in nerve regeneration, and PYGM is involved in glycogen metabolism.

Conclusions

The modified secretome derived from 3D cultured spheroids of PDLSCs treated by BH-AD as a reservoir of regenerating neural factors can serve as a potential source for AD treatment.

Potential of extracellular space for tissue regeneration in dentistry

With the proven relationship between oral and general health and the growing aging population, it is pivotal to provide accessible therapeutic approaches to regenerate oral tissues and restore clinical function. However, despite sharing many core concepts with medicine, dentistry has fallen behind the progress in precision medicine and regenerative treatments. Stem cell therapies are a promising avenue for tissue regeneration, however, ethical, safety and cost issues may limit their clinical use. With the significance of paracrine signalling in stem cell and tissue regeneration, extracellular space comprising of the cell secretome, and the extracellular matrix can serve as a potent source for tissue regeneration. Extravesicles are secreted and naturally occurring vesicles with biologically active cargo that can be harvested from the extracellular space. These vesicles have shown great potential as disease biomarkers and can be used in regenerative medicine. As a cell free therapy, secretome and extracellular vesicles can be stored and transferred easily and pose less ethical and safety risks in clinical application. Since there are currently many reviews on the secretome and the biogenesis, characterization and function of extracellular vesicles, here we look at the therapeutic potential of extracellular space to drive oral tissue regeneration and the current state of the field in comparison to regenerative medicine.

Botanicals and Oral Stem Cell Mediated Regeneration: A Paradigm Shift from Artificial to Biological Replacement

Stem cells are a well-known autologous pluripotent cell source, having excellent potential to develop into specialized cells, such as brain, skin, and bone marrow cells. The oral cavity is reported to be a rich source of multiple types of oral stem cells, including the dental pulp, mucosal soft tissues, periodontal ligament, and apical papilla. Oral stem cells were useful for both the regeneration of soft tissue components in the dental pulp and mineralized structure regeneration, such as bone or dentin, and can be a viable substitute for traditionally used bone marrow stem cells. In recent years, several studies have reported that plant extracts or compounds promoted the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of different oral stem cells. This review is carried out by following the PRISMA guidelines and focusing mainly on the effects of bioactive compounds on oral stem cell-mediated dental, bone, and neural regeneration. It is observed that in recent years studies were mainly focused on the utilization of oral stem cell-mediated regeneration of bone or dental mesenchymal cells, however, the utility of bioactive compounds on oral stem cell-mediated regeneration requires additional assessment beyond in vitro and in vivo studies, and requires more randomized clinical trials and case studies.

Promising Role of Oral Cavity Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) have been regarded as the beneficial and available tools to treat various hereditary, multifactorial, acute, and chronic diseases. Mesenchymal stem cells can be extracted from numerous sources for clinical purposes while oral cavity-derived mesenchymal stem cells seem to be more effective in neuroregeneration than other sources due to their similar embryonic origins to neuronal tissues. In various studies and different neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), oral cavity mesenchymal stem cells have been applied to prove their promising capacities in disease improvement. Moreover, oral cavity mesenchymal stem cells' secretion is regarded as a novel and practical approach to neuroregeneration; hence, extracellular vesicles (EVs), especially exosomes, may provide promising results to improve CNS defects. This review article focuses on how oral cavity-derived stem cells and their extracellular vesicles can improve neurodegenerative conditions and tries to show which molecules are involved in the recovery process.

The Role of Exosomes as Mediators of Neuroinflammation in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive dementia. Accumulation of β–amyloid peptide 1–42 and phosphorylation of tau protein in the brain are the two main pathological features of AD. However, comprehensive studies have shown that neuroinflammation also plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of AD. Neuroinflammation is associated with neuronal death and abnormal protein aggregation and promotes the pathological process of β-amyloid peptide 1–42 and tau protein. The inflammatory components associated with AD include glial cells, complement system, cytokines and chemokines. In recent years, some researchers have focused on exosomes, a type of membrane nano vesicles. Exosomes can transport proteins, lipids, microRNAs and other signaling molecules to participate in a variety of signaling pathways for signal transmission or immune response, affecting the activity of target cells and participating in important pathophysiological processes. Therefore, exosomes play an essential role in intercellular communication and may mediate neuroinflammation to promote the development of AD. This paper reviews the occurrence and development of neuroinflammation and exosomes in AD, providing a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis of AD. Furthermore, the role of exosomes in the pathogenesis and treatment of AD is further described, demonstrating their potential as therapeutic targets for neuroinflammation and AD in the future.

A concise review of the orofacial mesenchymal stromal cells as a novel therapy for neurological diseases and injuries

Orofacial mesenchymal stromal cells (OFMSCs) are mesenchymal stromal cells isolated from the oral and facial regions, which possess typical mesenchymal stromal cell features such as self-renewing, multilineage differentiation, and immunoregulatory properties. Recently, increasing studies have been carried out on the neurotrophic and neuroregenerative properties of OFMSCs as well as their potential to treat neurological diseases. In this review, we summarize the current evidence and discuss the prospects regarding the therapeutic potential of OFMSCs as a new approach to treat different neurological diseases and injuries.

The Hunt Is On! In Pursuit of the Ideal Stem Cell Population for Cartilage Regeneration

Cartilage injury and degeneration are hallmarks of osteoarthritis (OA), the most common joint disease. OA is a major contributor to pain, loss of function, and reduced quality of life. Over the last decade, considerable research efforts have focused on cell-based therapies, including several stem cell-derived approaches to reverse the cartilage alterations associated with OA. Although several tissue sources for deriving cell-based therapies have been identified, none of the resident stem cell populations have adequately fulfilled the promise of curing OA. Indeed, many cell products do not contain true stem cells. As well, issues with aggressive marketing efforts, combined with a lack of evidence regarding efficacy, lead the several national regulatory bodies to discontinue the use of stem cell therapy for OA until more robust evidence becomes available. A review of the evidence is timely to address the status of cell-based cartilage regeneration. The promise of stem cell therapy is not new and has been used successfully to treat non-arthritic diseases, such as hematopoietic and muscle disorders. These fields of regenerative therapy have the advantage of a considerable foundation of knowledge in the area of stem cell repair mechanisms, the role of the stem cell niche, and niche-supporting cells. This foundation is lacking in the field of cartilage repair. So, where should we look for the ideal stem cell to regenerate cartilage? It has recently been discovered that cartilage itself may contain a population of SC-like progenitors. Other potential tissues include stem cell-rich dental pulp and the adolescent growth plate, the latter of which contains chondrocyte progenitors essential for producing the cartilage scaffold needed for bone growth. In this article, we review the progress on stem cell therapies for arthritic disorders, focusing on the various stem cell populations previously used for cartilage regeneration, successful cases of stem cell therapies in muscle and hemopoietic disorders, some of the reasons why these other fields have been successful (i.e., "lessons learned" to be applied to OA stem cell therapy), and finally, novel potential sources of stem cells for regenerating damaged cartilage in vivo.

The Therapeutic Potential of Secreted Factors from Dental Pulp Stem Cells for Various Diseases

An alternative source of mesenchymal stem cells has recently been discovered: dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), including deciduous teeth, which can thus comprise potential tools for regenerative medicine. DPSCs derive from the neural crest and are normally implicated in dentin homeostasis. The clinical application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) involving DPSCs contains various limitations, such as high cost, low safety, and cell handling issues, as well as invasive sample collection procedures. Although MSCs implantation offers favorable outcomes on specific diseases, implanted MSCs cannot survive for a long period. It is thus considered that their mediated mechanism of action involves paracrine effects. It has been recently reported that secreted molecules in DPSCs-conditioned media (DPSC-CM) contain various trophic factors and cytokines and that DPSC-CM are effective in models of various diseases. In the current study, we focus on the characteristics of DPSC-CM and their therapeutic potential against various disorders.

Dental stem cell-conditioned medium for tissue regeneration: Optimization of production and storage

BACKGROUND

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) effects on tissue regeneration are mainly mediated by their secreted substances (secretome), inducing their paracrine activity. This Conditioned medium (CM), including soluble factors (proteins, nucleic acids, lipids) and extracellular vesicles is emerging as a potential alternative to cell therapy. However, the manufacturing of CM suffers from variable procedures and protocols leading to varying results between studies. Besides, there is no well-defined optimized procedure targeting specific applications in regenerative medicine.

AIM

To focus on conditioned medium produced from dental MSC (DMSC-CM), we reviewed the current parameters and manufacturing protocols, in order to propose a standardization and optimization of these manufacturing procedures.

METHODS

We have selected all publications investigating the effects of dental MSC secretome in in vitro and in vivo models of tissue regeneration, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines.

RESULTS

A total of 351 results were identified. And based on the inclusion criteria described above, 118 unique articles were included in the systematic review. DMSC-CM production was considered at three stages: before CM recovery (cell sources for CM), during CM production (culture conditions) and after production (CM treatment).

CONCLUSION

No clear consensus could be recovered as evidence-based methods, but we were able to describe the most commonly used protocols: donors under 30 years of age, dental pulp stem cells and exfoliated deciduous tooth stem cells with cell passage between 1 and 5, at a confluence of 70% to 80%. CM were often collected during 48 h, and stored at -80 °C. It is important to point out that the preconditioning environment had a significant impact on DMSC-CM content and efficiency.

Dental Mesenchymal Stem Cell Secretome: An Intriguing Approach for Neuroprotection and Neuroregeneration

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are known for their beneficial effects and regenerative potential. In particular, dental-derived MSCs have the advantage of easier accessibility and a non-invasive isolation method. Moreover, thanks to their neural crest origin, dental MSCs seem to have a more prominent neuroregenerative potential. Indeed, in basal conditions they also express neuronal markers. However, it is now well known that the beneficial actions of MSCs depend, at least in part, on their secretome, referring to all the bioactive molecules released in the conditioned medium (CM) or in extracellular vesicles (EVs). In this review we focus on the applications of the secretome derived from dental MSCs for neuroregeneration and neuroprotection. The secretomes of different dental MSCs have been tested for their effects for neuroregenerative purposes, and the secretomes of dental pulp stem cells and stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth are the most studied. Both the CM and EVs obtained from dental MSCs showed that they are able to promote neurite outgrowth and neuroprotective effects. Interestingly, dental-derived MSC secretome showed stronger neuroregenerative and neuroprotective effects compared to that obtained from other MSC sources. For these reasons, the secretome obtained from dental MSCs may represent a promising approach for neuroprotective treatments.

G-CSF augments the neuroprotective effect of conditioned medium of dental pulp stem cells against hypoxic neural injury in SH-SY5Y cells

Objective(s):

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) can differentiate into functional neurons and have the potential for cell therapy in neurological diseases. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a glycoprotein family shown neuroprotective effect in models of nerve damage.

we evaluated the protective effects of G-CSF, conditioned media from DPSCs (DPSCs-CM) and conditioned media from transfected DPSCs with plasmid encoding G-CSF (DPSC-CMT) on SH-SY5Y exposed to CoCl₂ as a model of hypoxia-induced neural damage.

Materials and Methods:

SH-SY5Y exposed to CoCl₂ were treated with DPSCs-CM, G-CSF, simultaneous combination of DPSCs-CM and G-CSF and finally DPSC-CMT. Cell viability and apoptosis were determined by resazurin (or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay alternatively) and propidium iodide (PI) staining. Western blot analysis was performed to detect changes in apoptotic protein levels. The interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 IL6/IL10 levels were measured with Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).

Results:

DPSCs-CM and G-CSF were able to significantly protect SH-SY5Y against neural cell damage caused by CoCl₂ according to resazurin and LDH analysis. Also, the percentage of apoptotic cells decreased when SH-SY5Y were treated with DPSCs-CM and G-CSF simultaneously. After transfection of DPSCs with G-CSF plasmid, DPSC-CMT could significantly improve the protection. The amount of β-catenin, cleaved PARP and caspase-3 were significantly decreased and the expression of survivin was considerably increased when hypoxic SH-SY5Y treated with DPSCs-CM plus G-CSF according to Western blot. Decreased level of IL-6/IL-10, which exposed to CoCl₂, after treatment with DPSCs-CM indicated the suppression of inflammatory mediators.

Conclusion:

Combination therapy of G-CSF and DPSCs-CM improved the protective activity.

Dental Pulp Stem Cell-Derived Secretome and Its Regenerative Potential

The therapeutic potential of the dental pulp stem (DSC) cell-derived secretome, consisting of various biomolecules, is undergoing intense research. Despite promising in vitro and in vivo studies, most DSC secretome-based therapies have not been implemented in human medicine because the paracrine effect of the bioactive factors secreted by human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) is not completely understood. In this review, we outline the current data on the hDPSC- and SHED-derived secretome as a potential candidate in the regeneration of bone, cartilage, and nerve tissue. Published reports demonstrate that the dental MSC-derived secretome/conditional medium may be effective in treating neurodegenerative diseases, neural injuries, cartilage defects, and repairing bone by regulating neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and angiogenic processes through secretome paracrine mechanisms. Dental MSC-secretomes, similarly to the bone marrow MSC-secretome activate molecular and cellular mechanisms, which determine the effectiveness of cell-free therapy. Many reports emphasize that dental MSC-derived secretomes have potential application in tissue-regenerating therapy due to their multidirectional paracrine effect observed in the therapy of many different injured tissues.

Dental Pulp Stem Cells Derived From Adult Human Third Molar Tooth: A Brief Review

The fields of regenerative medicine and stem cell-based tissue engineering have the potential of treating numerous tissue and organ defects. The use of adult stem cells is of particular interest when it comes to dynamic applications in translational medicine. Recently, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have been traced in third molars of adult humans. DPSCs have been isolated and characterized by several groups. DPSCs have promising characteristics including self-renewal capacity, rapid proliferation, colony formation, multi-lineage differentiation, and pluripotent gene expression profile. Nevertheless, genotypic, and phenotypic heterogeneities have been reported for DPSCs subpopulations which may influence their therapeutic potentials. The underlying causes of DPSCs’ heterogeneity remain poorly understood; however, their heterogeneity emerges as a consequence of an interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic cellular factors. The main objective of the manuscript is to review the current literature related to the human DPSCs derived from the third molar, with a focus on their physiological properties, isolation procedures, culture conditions, self-renewal, proliferation, lineage differentiation capacities and their prospective advances use in pre-clinical and clinical applications.

Exosomes in Alzheimer's Disease: From Being Pathological Players to Potential Diagnostics and Therapeutics

Exosomes (EXOs) were given attention as an extracellular vesicle (EV) with a pivotal pathophysiological role in the development of certain neurodegenerative disorders (NDD), such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease (AD). EXOs have shown the potential to carry pathological and therapeutic cargo; thus, researchers have harnessed EXOs in drug delivery applications. EXOs have shown low immunogenicity as natural drug delivery vehicles, thus ensuring efficient drug delivery without causing significant adverse reactions. Recently, EXOs provided potential drug delivery opportunities in AD and promising future clinical applications with the diagnosis of NDD and were studied for their usefulness in disease detection and prediction prior to the emergence of symptoms. In the future, the microfluidics technique will play an essential role in isolating and detecting EXOs to diagnose AD before the development of advanced symptoms. This review is not reiterative literature but will discuss why EXOs have strong potential in treating AD and how they can be used as a tool to predict and diagnose this disorder.

Mesenchymal stem cell therapies for Alzheimer's disease: preclinical studies

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic, progressive, and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by memory failure, cognitive impairment, as well as behavioral and psychological manifestations. Drugs can only moderately manage, but not alleviate, clinical symptoms. Results, based on animal models, have demonstrated that cell therapy is a promising strategy for treating neurodegenerative disorders. The homing effect of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) replaces damaged cells, while some scholars believe that the paracrine effects play a crucial role in treating diseases. In fact, these cells have rich sources, exhibit high proliferation rates, low tumorigenicity, and immunogenicity, and have no ethical concerns. Consequently, MSCs have been used across various disease aspects, such as regulating immunity, nourishing nerves, and promoting regeneration. Deterioration of public health status have exposed both Alzheimer's patients and researchers to various difficulties during epidemics. In this review, we discuss the advances and challenges in the application of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

A narrative overview of utilizing biomaterials to recapitulate the salient regenerative features of dental-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Tissue engineering approaches have emerged recently to circumvent many limitations associated with current clinical practices. This elegant approach utilizes a natural/synthetic biomaterial with optimized physiomechanical properties to serve as a vehicle for delivery of exogenous stem cells and bioactive factors or induce local recruitment of endogenous cells for in situ tissue regeneration. Inspired by the natural microenvironment, biomaterials could act as a biomimetic three-dimensional (3D) structure to help the cells establish their natural interactions. Such a strategy should not only employ a biocompatible biomaterial to induce new tissue formation but also benefit from an easily accessible and abundant source of stem cells with potent tissue regenerative potential. The human teeth and oral cavity harbor various populations of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with self-renewing and multilineage differentiation capabilities. In the current review article, we seek to highlight recent progress and future opportunities in dental MSC-mediated therapeutic strategies for tissue regeneration using two possible approaches, cell transplantation and cell homing. Altogether, this paper develops a general picture of current innovative strategies to employ dental-derived MSCs combined with biomaterials and bioactive factors for regenerating the lost or defective tissues and offers information regarding the available scientific data and possible applications.

Dental-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: State of the Art

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could be identified in mammalian teeth. Currently, dental-derived MSCs (DMSCs) has become a collective term for all the MSCs isolated from dental pulp, periodontal ligament, dental follicle, apical papilla, and even gingiva. These DMSCs possess similar multipotent potential as bone marrow-derived MSCs, including differentiation into cells that have the characteristics of odontoblasts, cementoblasts, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, myocytes, epithelial cells, neural cells, hepatocytes, and adipocytes. Besides, DMSCs also have powerful immunomodulatory functions, which enable them to orchestrate the surrounding immune microenvironment. These properties enable DMSCs to have a promising approach in injury repair, tissue regeneration, and treatment of various diseases. This review outlines the most recent advances in DMSCs' functions and applications and enlightens how these advances are paving the path for DMSC-based therapies.

Advances and Perspectives in Dental Pulp Stem Cell Based Neuroregeneration Therapies

Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) are some of the most promising stem cell types for regenerative therapies given their ability to grow in the absence of serum and their realistic possibility to be used in autologous grafts. In this review, we describe the particular advantages of hDPSCs for neuroregenerative cell therapies. We thoroughly discuss the knowledge about their embryonic origin and characteristics of their postnatal niche, as well as the current status of cell culture protocols to maximize their multilineage differentiation potential, highlighting some common issues when assessing neuronal differentiation fates of hDPSCs. We also review the recent progress on neuroprotective and immunomodulatory capacity of hDPSCs and their secreted extracellular vesicles, as well as their combination with scaffold materials to improve their functional integration on the injured central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). Finally, we offer some perspectives on the current and possible future applications of hDPSCs in neuroregenerative cell therapies.

Neural Basis of Dental Pulp Stem Cells and its Potential Application in Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. Though significant insights into the molecular-biochemical-cellular-behavioral basis of PD have been understood, there is no appreciable treatment available till date. Current therapies provide symptomatic relief without any influence on the progression of the disease. Stem cell therapy has been vigorously explored to treat PD. In this comprehensive review, we analyze various stem cell candidates for treating PD and discuss the possible mechanisms. We advocate the advantage of using neural crest originated dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) due to their predisposition towards neural differentiation and their potential to regenerate neurons far better than commonly used bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs). Eventually, we highlight the current challenges in the field and the strategies which may be used for overcoming the impediments.

Human dental pulp stem cells: A sanctuary for relapsing Bartonella quintana

Bartonella quintana is a facultative intracellular bacterium responsible for relapsing fever, an example of non-sterilizing immunity. The cellular sanctuary of B. quintana in-between febrile relapses remains unknown but repeated detection of B. quintana in dental pulp specimens suggested long-term half-life dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) as candidates. As the capacity of DPSCs to internalize microscopic particles was unknown, we confirmed that DPSCs internalized B. quintana bacteria: Gimenez staining and fluorescence microscopy localized B. quintana bacteria inside DPSCs and this internalization did not affect the cellular multiplication of DPSCs during a one-month follow-up despite the increase in the bacterial load. B. quintana-infected DPSCs did not produce Tumor Necrosis Factor-α whereas an important production of Monocytes Chemoattractant Protein-1 was observed. These unprecedented observations suggest the possibility that DPSCs are shelters for the long-term persistence of B. quintana in the host, warranting further experimental and clinical investigations.

Extracellular vesicles in bone and periodontal regeneration: current and potential therapeutic applications

Oral mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their secretomes are considered important factors in the field of medical tissue engineering and cell free biotherapy due to their ease of access, differentiation potential, and successful therapeutic outcomes. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) and the conditioned medium (CM) from MSCs are gaining more attraction as an alternative to cell-based therapies due to the less ethical issues involved, and their easier acquisition, preservation, long term storage, sterilization, and packaging. Bone and periodontal regenerative ability of EVs and CM have been the focus of some recent studies. In this review, we looked through currently available literature regarding MSCs' EVs or conditioned medium and their general characteristics, function, and regenerative potentials. We will also review the novel applications in regenerating bone and periodontal defects.

The Pluripotency Factor Nanog Protects against Neuronal Amyloid β-Induced Toxicity and Oxidative Stress through Insulin Sensitivity Restoration

Amyloid β (Aβ) is a peptide fragment of the amyloid precursor protein that triggers the progression of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). It is believed that Aβ contributes to neurodegeneration in several ways, including mitochondria dysfunction, oxidative stress and brain insulin resistance. Therefore, protecting neurons from Aβ-induced neurotoxicity is an effective strategy for attenuating AD pathogenesis. Recently, applications of stem cell-based therapies have demonstrated the ability to reduce the progression and outcome of neurodegenerative diseases. Particularly, Nanog is recognized as a stem cell-related pluripotency factor that enhances self-renewing capacities and helps reduce the senescent phenotypes of aged neuronal cells. However, whether the upregulation of Nanog can be an effective approach to alleviate Aβ-induced neurotoxicity and senescence is not yet understood. In the present study, we transiently overexpressed Nanog-both in vitro and in vivo-and investigated the protective effects and underlying mechanisms against Aβ. We found that overexpression of Nanog is responsible for attenuating Aβ-triggered neuronal insulin resistance, which restores cell survival through reducing intracellular mitochondrial superoxide accumulation and cellular senescence. In addition, upregulation of Nanog expression appears to increase secretion of neurotrophic factors through activation of the Nrf2 antioxidant defense pathway. Furthermore, improvement of memory and learning were also observed in rat model of Aβ neurotoxicity mediated by upregulation of Nanog in the brain. Taken together, our study suggests a potential role for Nanog in attenuating the neurotoxic effects of Aβ, which in turn, suggests that strategies to enhance Nanog expression may be used as a novel intervention for reducing Aβ neurotoxicity in the AD brain.

Characteristics and Therapeutic Potential of Dental Pulp Stem Cells on Neurodegenerative Diseases

To evaluate the therapeutic potential of stem cells for neurodegenerative diseases, emphasis should be placed on clarifying the characteristics of the various types of stem cells. Among stem cells, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are a cell population that is rich in cell proliferation and multipotency. It has been reported that transplantation of DPSCs has protective effects against models of neurodegenerative diseases. The protective effects are not only through differentiation into the target cell type for the disease but are also related to trophic factors released from DPSCs. Recently, it has been reported that serum-free culture supernatant of dental pulp stem cell-conditioned medium (DPCM) contains various trophic factors and cytokines and that DPCM is effective for models of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Moreover, the use of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) has been considered. SHEDs are derived from deciduous teeth that have been disposed of as medical waste. SHEDs have higher differentiation capacity and proliferation ability than DPSCs. In addition, the serum-free culture supernatant of SHEDs (SHED-CM) contains more trophic factors, cytokines, and biometals than DPCM and also promotes neuroprotection. The neuroprotective effect of DPSCs, including those from deciduous teeth, will be used as the seeds of therapeutic drugs for neurodegenerative diseases. SHEDs will be used for further cell therapy of neurodegenerative diseases in the future. In this paper, we focused on the characteristics of DPSCs and their potential for neurodegenerative diseases.

Therapeutic Potential of Dental Pulp Stem Cells and Leukocyte- and Platelet-Rich Fibrin for Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative and inflammatory joint disorder with cartilage loss. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) can undergo chondrogenic differentiation and secrete growth factors associated with tissue repair and immunomodulation. Leukocyte- and platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) emerges in regenerative medicine because of its growth factor content and fibrin matrix. This study evaluates the therapeutic application of DPSCs and L-PRF in OA via immunomodulation and cartilage regeneration. Chondrogenic differentiation of DPSCs, with or without L-PRF exudate (ex) and conditioned medium (CM), and of bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells was compared. These cells showed differential chondrogenesis. L-PRF was unable to increase cartilage-associated components. Immature murine articular chondrocytes (iMACs) were cultured with L-PRF ex, L-PRF CM, or DPSC CM. L-PRF CM had pro-survival and proliferative effects on unstimulated and cytokine-stimulated iMACs. L-PRF CM stimulated the release of IL-6 and PGE2, and increased MMP-13, TIMP-1 and IL-6 mRNA levels in cytokine-stimulated iMACs. DPSC CM increased the survival and proliferation of unstimulated iMACs. In cytokine-stimulated iMACs, DPSC CM increased TIMP-1 gene expression, whereas it inhibited nitrite release in 3D culture. We showed promising effects of DPSCs in an in vitro OA model, as they undergo chondrogenesis in vitro, stimulate the survival of chondrocytes and have immunomodulatory effects.

Targetting Exosomes as a New Biomarker and Therapeutic Approach for Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that mainly occurs in old age and involves progressive cognitive impairment. AD has become a major global issue for public health, with approximately 24 million people currently affected by the disease. Estimates indicted that this number will quadruple by 2050. Because of the high incidence of AD, there is an urgent need to develop new strategies to diagnose and treat AD. Many recent studies have indicated the multiple, yet somewhat controversial, roles of exosomes in AD. Although the underlying mechanisms by which exosomes play a role in AD are still unknown, current evidence suggests that exosomes can carry and spread toxic amyloid-beta, and hyperphosphorylated tau, between cells, and then induce apoptosis, thus contributing to the loss of neurons. In addition, exosomes appear to possess the ability to reduce brain amyloid-beta, and tau hyperphosphorylation, and transfer neuroprotective substances between neural cells. The accumulating data brings hope that the application of exosomes may be helpful for early diagnostics and the identification of new therapeutic targets for AD. Here, we summarized the various roles of exosomes, and how they might relate to the pathogenesis of AD. We also highlight the potential application of exosomes as a therapeutic option in AD therapy.

Dental Stem Cell-Derived Secretome/Conditioned Medium: The Future for Regenerative Therapeutic Applications

Regenerative medicine literature has proposed mesenchymal stem/progenitor cell- (MSC-) mediated therapeutic approaches for their great potential in managing various diseases and tissue defects. Dental MSCs represent promising alternatives to nondental MSCs, owing to their ease of harvesting with minimally invasive procedures. Their mechanism of action has been attributed to their cell-to-cell contacts as well as to the paracrine effect of their secreted factors, namely, secretome. In this context, dental MSC-derived secretome/conditioned medium could represent a unique cell-free regenerative and therapeutic approach, with fascinating advantages over parent cells. This article reviews the application of different populations of dental MSC secretome/conditioned medium in in vitro and in vivo animal models, highlights their significant implementation in treating different tissue' diseases, and clarifies the significant bioactive molecules involved in their regenerative potential. The analysis of these recent studies clearly indicate that dental MSCs' secretome/conditioned medium could be effective in treating neural injuries, for dental tissue regeneration, in repairing bone defects, and in managing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, hepatic regeneration, and skin injuries, through regulating anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, angiogenic, osteogenic, and neurogenic mediators.

Mesenchymal stromal cell secretome as a therapeutic strategy for traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global health problem that is a common cause of disability and mortality. Despite the availability of many treatment options, none is capable of restoring functional and structural recovery of the damaged brain. Both the results of preclinical and clinical studies suggest the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as a therapeutic strategy for structural and functional recovery in TBI. However, recent evidence shows that the neuroprotective potential of MSCs is due to multiple secretions of bioactive molecules that modulate tissue microenvironment for tissue repair and regeneration. The results of preclinical studies indicate the therapeutic benefits of MSC secretome in TBI. Soluble bioactive molecules and extracellular vesicles are the various factors secreted by MSCs that can induce neurogenesis, angiogenesis, neovascularization, and anti-inflammatory activities. This review highlights the neuroprotective effect of MSC secretome for the treatment of TBI. In addition, the possible challenges of secretome as biotherapeutics are identified and how some of the issues raised could be overcome for effective clinical application are also discussed.

Insights into the Effects of the Dental Stem Cell Secretome on Nerve Regeneration: Towards Cell-Free Treatment

Cell-free treatment is emerging as an alternative to cell delivery to promote endogenous regeneration using cell-derived factors. The purpose of this article was to systematically review studies of the effects of the dental stem cell secretome on nerve regeneration. PubMed and Scopus databases were used where searched and related studies were selected. The primary search identified 36 articles with the utilized keywords; however, only 13 articles met the defined inclusion criteria. Eight out of thirteen articles included in vivo and in vitro studies. We classified the dental stem cell-derived secretome with its nerve regeneration potential. All studies demonstrated that dental stem cell-derived factors promote neurotrophic effects that can mechanistically stimulate nerve regeneration in neurodegenerative diseases and nerve injury. This data collection will enable researchers to gather information to create a precise formulation for future prescribed treatments.

Dental Pulp Stem Cells: An Attractive Alternative for Cell Therapy in Ischemic Stroke

Ischemic stroke is a major cause of disability and mortality worldwide, but effective restorative treatments are very limited at present. Regenerative medicine research revealed that stem cells are promising therapeutic options. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are autologously applicable cells that origin from the neural crest and exhibit neuro-ectodermal features next to multilineage differentiation potentials. DPSCs are of increasing interest since they are relatively easy to obtain, exhibit a strong proliferation ability, and can be cryopreserved for a long time without losing their multi-directional differentiation capacity. Besides, use of DPSCs can avoid fundamental problems such as immune rejection, ethical controversy, and teratogenicity. Therefore, DPSCs provide a tempting prospect for stroke treatment.

Systemic Dental Pulp Stem Cell Secretome Therapy in a Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating motor neuron (MN) disease with no cure. Accumulating evidence indicates ALS involves a complex interaction between central glia and the peripheral immune response and neuromuscular interface. Stem cell secretomes contain various beneficial trophic factors and cytokines, and we recently demonstrated that administration of the secretome of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) during early neuromuscular junction (NMJ) denervation in the mutant superoxide dismutase (mSOD1^G93A) ALS mouse ameliorated NMJ disruption. In the present study, we hypothesized that administration of dental pulp stem cell secretome in the form of conditioned medium (DPSC-CM) at different stages of disease would promote NMJ innervation, prevent MN loss and extend lifespan. Our findings show that DPSC-CM significantly improved NMJ innervation at postnatal day (PD) 47 compared to vehicle treated mSOD1^G93A mice (p < 0.05). During late pre-symptomatic stages (PD70-P91), DPSC-CM significantly increased MN survival (p < 0.01) and NMJ preservation (p < 0.05), while reactive gliosis in the ventral horn remained unaffected. For DPSC-CM treated mSOD1^G93A mice beginning at symptom onset, post-onset days of survival as well as overall lifespan was significantly increased compared to vehicle treated mice (p < 0.05). This is the first study to show therapeutic benefits of systemic DPSC secretome in experimental ALS, and establishes a foundation for future research into the treatment effects and mechanistic analyses of DPSC and other stem cell secretome therapies in ALS.

Advances of tooth-derived stem cells in neural diseases treatments and nerve tissue regeneration

Nerous system diseases, both central and peripheral, bring an incredible burden onto patients and enormously reduce their quality of life. Currently, there are still no effective treatments to repair nerve lesions that do not have side effects. Stem cell-based therapies, especially those using dental stem cells, bring new hope to neural diseases. Dental stem cells, derived from the neural crest, have many characteristics that are similar to neural cells, indicating that they can be an ideal source of cells for neural regeneration and repair. This review summarizes the neural traits of all the dental cell types, including DPSCs, PDLCs, DFCs, APSCs and their potential applications in nervous system diseases. We have summed up the advantages of dental stem cells in neural repair, such as their neurotrophic and neuroprotective traits, easy harvest and low rejective reaction rate, among others. Taken together, dental stem cells are an ideal cell source for neural tissue regeneration and repair.

Angiogenic properties of dental pulp stem cells conditioned medium on endothelial cells in vitro and in rodent orthotopic dental pulp regeneration

Objectives

To evaluate the effect of SHED-CM on the proliferation, differentiation, migration ability, cell death, gene expression and production of VEGF of HUVEC in vitro and in a rodent orthotopic dental pulp regeneration.

Methods

Three culture media [M199, DMEM/Ham's F12 and DMEM/Ham's F12 conditioned by SHEDs] were used as experimental groups. SHED-CM was prepared maintaining confluent cells in culture without serum for 3 days. The proliferation and cell death marker of HUVECs were assessed using flow cytometry. The capacity of formation of vascular-like structures was analyzed in cells grown over Matrigel^® in hypoxic condition. HUVECs migration was followed using the scratch test. VEGF-A expression in HUVECs was assessed using real time RT-qPCR; and VEGF synthesis with ELISA test. SHED-CM was also applied in rodent ortotopic model of dental pulp regeneration in rats. The formed tissue was submitted to histological and immunohistochemical analyses.

Results

SHED-CM promoted significantly lower expression of 7AAD in HUVECs; whereas the expression of the Ki67 was similar in all groups. The vascular-like structures were observed in all groups. Migration of SHED-CM group was faster than DMEM/Ham's F12. SHED-CM induced similar expression of VEGF-A than M199, and higher than DMEM/Ham's F12. SHED-CM induced significantly higher VEGF synthesis than other media. SHED-CM induced formation of a vascularized connective tissue inside the root canal.

Conclusion

The study showed that SHEDs release angiogenic and cytoprotective factors, which are of great importance for tissue engineering.

Clinical significance

SHED-CM could be an option to the use of stem cells in tissue engineering.

Stem cell therapy in Alzheimer's disease: possible benefits and limiting drawbacks

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the sixth leading cause of death globally and the main reason for dementia in elderly people. AD is a long-term and progressive neurodegenerative disorder that steadily worsens memory and communicating skills eventually leads to a disabled person of performing simple daily tasks. Unfortunately, numerous clinical trials exploring new therapeutic drugs have encountered disappointing outcomes in terms of improved cognitive performance since they are not capable of halting or stimulating the regeneration of already-damaged neural cells, and merely provide symptomatic relief. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the mechanism of action of stem cell may contribute to the development of novel and effective therapies. The revolutionary discovery of stem cells has cast a new hope for the development of disease-modifying treatments for AD, in terms of their potency in the replenishment of lost cells via differentiating towards specific lineages, stimulating in situ neurogenesis, and delivering the therapeutic agents to the brain. Herein, firstly, we explore the pathophysiology of AD. Next, we summarize the most recent preclinical stem cell reports designed for AD treatment, their benefits and outcomes according to cell type. We briefly review relevant clinical trials and their potential clinical applications in order to find a unique solution to effectively relieve the patients' pain.