Co-culture with periodontal ligament stem cells enhanced osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells and osteoclastic differentiation of RAW264.7 cells

Objectives: Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) are characterized by having multipotential differentiation and immunoregulatory properties, which are the main mechanisms of PDLSCs-mediated periodontal regeneration. Periodontal or bone regeneration requires coordination of osteoblast and osteoclast, however, very little is known about the interactions between PDLSCs and osteoblast-like cells or osteoclast precursors. In this study, the indirect co-culture approach was introduced to preliminarily elucidate the effects of PDLSCs on differentiation of osteoblast-like cells and osteoclast precursors in vitro. Materials and methods: Human PDLSCs were obtained from premolars extracted and their stemness was identified in terms of their colony-forming ability, proliferative capacity, cell surface epitopes and multi-lineage differentiation potentials. A noncontact co-culture system of PDLSCs and preosteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1 or osteoclast precursor cell line RAW264.7 was established, and osteoblastic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 and osteoclastic differentiation of RAW264.7 were evaluated. Results: PDLSCs exhibited features of mesenchymal stem cells. Further investigation through indirect co-culture system showed that PDLSCs enhanced ALP activity, expressions of ALP, Runx2, BSP, OPN mRNA and BSP, OPN proteins and mineralization matrix deposition in MC3T3-E1. Meanwhile, they improved maturation of osteoclasts and expressions of TRAP, CSTK, TRAF6 mRNA and TRAP, TRAF6 proteins in RAW264.7. Conclusions: PDLSCs stimulates osteoblastic differentiation of osteoblast precursors and osteoclastic differentiation of osteoclast precursors, at least partially, in a paracrine fasion.