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 TGF-β family (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, and TGF-β3) 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 TGF-β1 showed the best cell proliferation activity. After 48-hr incubation, the cells treated with TGF-β3 showed the best cell proliferation activity followed by TGF-β2 and TGF-β1. The ALP activity of the cells was not changed after 24-hr incubation with TGF-βs. After 48-hr incubation, however, the cells treated with TGF-β1 showed the highest ALP activity followed by TGF-β2 and TGF-β3.
Conclusion: TGF-βs may enhance the reparative dentin formation of the injured human dental pulp stimulating the proliferation and the differentiation of the cells. And TGF-β1 may be the most effective factor for the human dentin regeneration.