Abstract: Objective:?To investigate the effects of methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (MDP)-calcium salts on the proliferation and odontogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and evaluate its role in the formation of tertiary dentin and the protection of dental pulp.Methods:?Three types of MDP-calcium salts were synthesized using different ratios of 10-MDP and CaCl2, and Human DPSCs were harvested and cultured in medium. The effect of different concentrations of MDP-calcium salts on cell proliferation was determined by CCK-8 assay.Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was measured to screen the best concentration for subsequent experiments.Additionally, alizarin red staining, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were employed to study the influence of a specific concentration of MDP-calcium salts on the odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs.Results:A certain concentration range of MDP-calcium saltshad no inhibitory effect on the proliferation of DPSCs. Compared with the control group, 0.2mg/mL was the optimal concentration of MDP-calcium salts in inducing ALP activity of DPSCs (P＜0.05). Alizarin red staining results showed that 0.2mg/mL MDP-2calcium salts promoted the formation of calcium nodules in DPSC0.2mg/mLMDP-1calcium salts and 0.2mg/mL MDP-2calcium salts promoted the secretion of odontogenic differentiation marker dental matrix protein-1 (DMP-1) (P＜0.05). Additionally, 0.2 mg/mL MDP-0.5calcium salts and 0.2 mg/mL MDP-1calcium saltsenhance the secretion of dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) (P＜0.05). Furthermore, 0.2 mg/mL MDP-0.5calcium salts and 0.2 mg/Ml MDP-2calcium salts also enhanced the secretion of osteocalcin (OCN) (P＜0.05). Lastly, 0.2 mg/mL MDP-0.5calcium salts, 0.2 mg/mL MDP-1calcium salts and 0.2 mg/mL MDP-2calcium salts stimulated the secretion of runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2) (P＜0.05). Conclusions:?MDP-calcium salts can not inhibit the proliferation of DPSCs within a certain concentration range. 0.2mg/mLMDP-calcium salts can promote the odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs.

Key words: 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate, dental pulp stem cell, Odontogenic differentiation