Transplantation of cultured dental pulp stem cells into the skeletal muscles ameliorated diabetic polyneuropathy: therapeutic plausibility of freshly isolated and cryopreserved dental pulp stem cells

Abstract

IntroductionDental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are mesenchymal stem cells located in dental pulp and are thought to be a potential source for cell therapy since DPSCs can be easily obtained from teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons. Obtained DPSCs can be cryopreserved until necessary and thawed and expanded when needed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the therapeutic potential of DPSC transplantation for diabetic polyneuropathy.MethodsDPSCs isolated from the dental pulp of extracted incisors of Sprague–Dawley rats were partly frozen in a −80 °C freezer for 6 months. Cultured DPSCs were transplanted into the unilateral hindlimb skeletal muscles 8 weeks after streptozotocine injection and the effects of DPSC transplantation were evaluated 4 weeks after the transplantation.ResultsTransplantation of DPSCs significantly improved the impaired sciatic nerve blood flow, sciatic motor/sensory nerve conduction velocity, capillary number to muscle fiber ratio and intra-epidermal nerve fiber density in the transplanted side of diabetic rats. Cryopreservation of DPSCs did not impair their proliferative or differential ability. The transplantation of cryopreserved DPSCs ameliorated sciatic nerve blood flow and sciatic nerve conduction velocity as well as freshly isolated DPSCs.ConclusionsWe demonstrated the effectiveness of DPSC transplantation for diabetic polyneuropathy even when using cryopreserved DPSCs, suggesting that the transplantation of DPSCs could be a promising tool for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13287-015-0156-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Conditioned media from dental pulp stem cells improved diabetic polyneuropathy through anti‐inflammatory, neuroprotective and angiogenic actions: Cell‐free regenerative medicine for diabetic polyneuropathy

“…We have previously reported the therapeutic effect of DPSC transplantation on diabetic polyneuropathy. However, many of the engrafted DPSCs disappeared from the transplanted site during a certain period after transplantation, which is consistent with other cell transplantation therapies for ischemic heart disease and brain infarction.…”

“…When we compare the therapeutic effects between DPSC‐CM administration in the present study and DPSC transplantation in our previous study, the effects of DPSC‐CM administration on SNCV and SNBF were comparable to those of DPSC transplantation. However, the effect of DPSC‐CM for MNCV was lower than that of DPSC transplantation (data not shown).…”

“…Six‐week‐old male Sprague–Dawley rats were killed by an overdose of pentobarbital. Dental pulp tissues from the incisors were collected in one vial; DPSCs were isolated and cultured as previously described. Collected dental pulp was suspended in phosphate‐buffered saline containing 0.1% collagenase and 0.25% trypsin‐ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.…”

“…The therapeutic efficacy of transplantation of stem cells from aging and/or diabetic animals was impaired compared with that of cells from normal animals. To solve these problems, we proposed the use of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), a kind of mesenchymal stem cell, for cell transplantation therapy in diabetic polyneuropathy, because DPSCs can be easily isolated from teeth extracted for general orthodontic reasons at young ages, and in many cases before the onset of diabetes, and DPSCs can be cryopreserved until use.…”

2,3,5,4′‐Tetrahydroxystilbene‐2‐O‐β‐glucoside potentiates self‐renewal of human dental pulp stem cells via the AMPK/ERK/SIRT1 axis

“…Using this technique, magnetically cryopreserved whole teeth can be used for autotransplantation as well as to provide a viable source of hDPSC. The therapeutic potential of hDPSC has been reported (Rosa et al 2012, Hata et al 2015, but the therapeutic aftereffect needs further consideration and examination.…”