Methods: The human dental pulp cells were obtained by explant culture. The cells were seeded in 96well plates (5X103 cells/well) and cultured in DMEM with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) for 24 hours. After 24 hours incubation in serum-free DMEM, the cells were treated with BMP-2 and IGF-1 each concentrations of 1, 5,10ng/ml for 24 and 48 hours. MTT assay and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay were performed to examine the proliferation and differentiation activity of the cells.
Results: After 24-hr incubation, the cells treated with BMP-2 showed the best cell proliferation activity. After 48-hr incubation, the cells treated with BMP-2 or IGF-1 showed the increased cell number, concentration dependently. The ALP activity of the cells was not changed after 24-hr incubation with BMP-2 or IGF-1. After 48-hr incubation, however, the cells treated with 1 ng/ml of BMP-2 and with 5 ng/ml of IGF-1 showed the highest ALP activity.
Conclusion: BMP-2 and IGF-1 may enhance the reparative dentin formation of the injured human dental pulp stimulating the proliferation and the differentiation of the cells.