Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury and neuroinflammatory multiple sclerosis are diverse disorders of the central nervous system. However, they are all characterized by various levels of inappropriate inflammatory/immune response along with tissue destruction. In the gastrointestinal system, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is also a consequence of tissue destruction resulting from an uncontrolled inflammation. Interestingly, there are many similarities in the immunopathomechanisms of these CNS disorders and the various forms of IBD. Since it is very hard or impossible to cure them by conventional manner, novel therapeutic approaches such as the use of mesenchymal stem cells, are needed. Mesenchymal stem cells have already been isolated from various tissues including the dental pulp and periodontal ligament. Such cells possess transdifferentiating capabilities for different tissue specific cells to serve as new building blocks for regeneration. But more importantly, they are also potent immunomodulators inhibiting proinflammatory processes and stimulating anti-inflammatory mechanisms.The present review was prepared to compare the immunopathomechanisms of the above mentioned neurodegenerative, neurotraumatic and neuroinflammatory diseases with IBD. Additionally, we considered the potential use of mesenchymal stem cells, especially those from dental origin to treat such disorders. We conceive that such efforts will yield considerable advance in treatment options for central and peripheral disorders related to inflammatory degeneration.
Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) possess extensive regeneration potential. However, their therapeutic application demands a scaffold with appropriate properties. HydroMatrix (HydM) is a novel injectable peptide nanofiber hydrogel developed recently for cell culture. Our aim was to test whether HydM would be a suitable scaffold for proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs. PDLSCs were seeded on non-coated or HydM-coated surfaces. Both real-time impedance analysis and cell viability assay documented cell growth on HydM. PDLSCs showed healthy, fibroblast-like morphology on the hydrogel. After a 3-week-long culture in osteogenic medium, mineralization was much more intense in HydM cultures compared to control. Alkaline phosphatase activity of the cells grown on the gels reached the non-coated control levels. Our data provided evidence that PDLSCs can adhere, survive, migrate, and proliferate on HydM and this gel also supports their osteogenic differentiation. We first applied impedimetry for dental stem cells cultured on a scaffold. HydM is ideal for in vitro studies of PDLSCs. It may also serve not only as a reference material but also in the future as a promising biocompatible scaffold for preclinical studies.
There is a well-defined influence of dopamine (DA) within the immune system. It can be synthesized not only in neurons, but also in immune cells, especially in T cells. In addition, these cell are bearing an active uptake mechanism, which could serve another source of DA. Therefore, it is highly likely that a functional DA-erg autocrine/paracrine regulatory loop exists, where lymphocytes-derived DA acting through its own receptors, also expressed on the same cells, can have an influence on its own function. However, the possibility that immune cell derived DA may act in accordance with DA secreted by other sources, i.e. from sympathetic terminals, cannot be ruled out. In harmony with these observations have provided evidences for the existence of a functional DA-erg system in the thymus, indicating that DA may have also a role in the maturation and selection of a certain subpopulation of lymphocytes as well. Based upon all of this information and evidences, for being able to summarize this topic, a much broader survey, including all direct and indirect immune-modulatory role of DA is required. Therefore, in this review we are going to discuss the most relevant aspects of this regulatory function. Facts and theories based upon experimental (pre-clinical) data are extended with the evidences accumulated by clinical observations.
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