Objective: To explore the effects of long noncoding-RNA (lncRNA) taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1) on the proliferation and osteogenic/odontoblast differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). Methods : hDPSCs were isolated and cultured. The surface antigens CD44, CD45, CD73, CD90, CD133 and STRO-1 were detected by flow cytometry. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and alizarin red staining were used to identify the ability of cells to differentiate. RNA was collected on Days 0, 7 and 14 of the osteogenic induction of hDPSCs, and qRT-PCR was used to detect the relative expression of TUG1. The hDPSCs were stably transfected with a lentiviral vector containing the TUG1-silenced pSLenti-U6-shRNA(TUG1)-CMV-EGFP-F2A-Puro-WPRE to silence TUG1. The ability of hDPSCs to proliferate was assessed with the CCK-8 method. ALP and alizarin red staining and quantitative detection were used to detect the ALP activity and formation of mineralized nodules of hDPSCs. The expression levels of dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), dentin matrix protein-1 (DMP-1), Runt-associated transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteocalcin (OCN) and osteopontin (OPN) genes and proteins were measured by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Results : The hDPSCs were successfully isolated and cultured, and TUG1 expression was significantly increased during osteogenic differentiation (P<0.05). The hDPSCs proliferation was suppressed after silencing TUG1(P<0.05). After osteogenic induction, ALP and alizarin red staining showed that ALP activity and mineralized nodules were suppressed by silencing TUG1. The expression levels of the odontogenic differentiation gene DSPP and DMP-1 and the osteogenic differentiation gene Runx2, OCN and OPN were also significantly decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion Knocking down TUG1 can inhibit the proliferation and osteogenic/odontogenic differentiation of hDPSCs.

Objective:To investigate the genetic safety of allogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) transplantation in traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods:(1) In vivo experiment: BMSCs from male SD rats were isolated and cultured. Moderate TBI models were prepared by implanting and fixing micro-drug injection cannula into the left ventricle of 12 female SD rats, and 3 d after that, striking the right cerebral cortex of the rats with pneumatic precision percussion device was performed. Four h, and 3, 6, 9, and 12 d after modeling, TBI rats were given a single/multiple BMSCs infusion (2.5×10 5/time, total volume 10 μL) by cannula; 48 and 72 h, and 10 and 14 d after modeling, brain tissues of TBI rats (3 at each time point) were prepared into paraffin specimens. Immunofluorescent staining was used to detect the microglia activation, and RNAscope ? technology was used to detect the co-localization of astrocytes, neurons, microglia and transplanted BMSCs to observe whether the allogeneic BMSCs were integrated with the host brain cells after transplantation into TBI host. (2) In vitro experiment: the frozen and revived microglial cell line BV2 was transfected with green fluorescent protein (GFP)-positive lentiviral particles, and then, BMSCs prelabeled with pHrodo RED probe and BV2 cells pretreated with lipopolysaccharide were co-cultured in a certain ratio (BV2:BMSCs=1:1, 1:2, 2:1); after 36 and 72 h of co-culture, the phagocytosis between the 2 kinds of cells was observed under confocal fluorescence inverted microscope to observe the specific action forms of microglia on BMSCs. Results:(1) In vivo experiment: 48 and 72 h, and 10 and 14 d after modeling, no colocalization of transplanted BMSCs with astrocytes or neurons was found in paraffin sections of brain tissue in TBI rats; however, 10 and 14 d after modeling, microglia in TBI rats were obviously activated and migrated to the left lateral ventricle and choroid plexus, and co-localization of microglia with transplanted BMSCs was observed. (2) In vitro experiment: phagocytosis occurred after co-culture of BV2 cells at different proportions with BMSCs for 36 and 72 h. Conclusion:After transplantation, allogeneic BMSCs do not integrate with astrocytes or neurons of the TBI host, but they could be phagocytosed by microglia, indicating that allogeneic BMSCs transplantation for TBI is genetically safe.