Effects and mechanisms of crocin on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory injury and osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells
- VernacularTitle:藏红花素对脂多糖诱导的人牙髓干细胞炎症损伤和成骨分化的影响及机制研究
- Author:
Xu LIU
1
;
Honggui DENG
;
Yuehua YANG
Author Information
- Keywords: crocin; extracellular signal-regulated kinase; mitogen-activated protein kinase; signaling pathway; human dental pulp stem cells; osteogenic differentiation; inflammatory injury; bone regeneration
- From: Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(12):31-37
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
- Abstract: Objective To investigate the effects of crocin on regulating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)signaling pathway in lipopolysac-charide(LPS)-induced inflammatory injury and osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells(hDPSCs).Methods The hDPSCs were divided into blank group,crocin-alone treatment group,LPS group,low-concentration crocin group,high-concentration crocin group,and high-con-centration crocin+ERK/MAPK inhibitor group,and were treated with corresponding methods respec-tively.Cell proliferation was detected using the CCK-8 assay.Alkaline phosphatase(ALP)activity was measured using an ALP activity detection kit.Mineralized nodule formation was detected by aliza-rin red S staining.The expression of inflammatory cytokines[interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-6,tumor nec-rosis factor-α(TNF-α)]was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The ex-pression of osteogenic differentiation-related factors Runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2),os-teocalcin(OCN),osteopontin(OPN),and ERK/MAPK pathway proteins was detected by Western blot.Results Compared with the LPS group,the proliferation ability,ALP activity,and mineralized nodule formation ability of hDPSCs in the low-and high-concentration crocin groups were enhanced.The expression levels of IL-1 β,IL-6 and TNF-α were decreased,while the protein expressions of RUNX2,OCN and OPN were increased.The ERK/MAPK signaling pathway was activated,and the changes in the high-concentration crocin group were more significant than those in the low-concentration cro-cin group(P＜0.05).Compared with the high-concentration crocin group,the high-concentration crocin+ERK/MAPK inhibitor group could reverse the effects of high-concentration crocin on hDPSC proliferation,inflammatory injury,and osteogenic differentiation(P＜0.05).Conclusion Crocin may promote the proliferation of LPS-induced hDPSCs,alleviate inflammatory injury,and promote osteogenic differentiation by activating the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway.
