ANALYSIS OF THE INFLUENCE OF NANOCARBOHYDROXYAPATITE ON SPHEROID FORMATION AND DIFFERENTIATION OF HUMAN DENTAL PULP STEM CELLS.

• Grant number: 22/13562-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2023
• End date: January 21, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Katiúcia Batista da Silva Paiva
• Grantee: Rodrigo Serra Frazão
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Regenerative Medicine, specifically the bottom-up approach of Bone Bioengineering, has shown potential in reproducing the cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions that exist in the tissue environment. With this, three-dimensional (3D) cell culture technologies, such as spheroids, are increasingly being used because they have greater potential for clinical application compared to monolayer culture. For this reason, adult dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are being studied in the development of customized grafts because they exhibit advantages for their use. It is known that DPSCs can compact into spheroids, however, it isn't known about the cellular behavior of spheroids of DPSCs immersed in biomaterials. Commercially hydroxyapatite is the main biomaterial used, but it has low biodegradation rates. Thus, in order to increase the therapeutic capacity, nanometric carbonate hydroxyapatite or nanocarbohydroxyapatite (nanoCHA) was developed that has improved bioactive properties such as biocompatibility and cytocompatibility. However, there is still little evidence about the association between this biomaterial and cell cultures in spheroids. Thus, the focus of this study will be to evaluate the influence of nanoCHA on spheroid formation of DPSCs and evaluate the effect on osteogenic differentiation and in hypoxia.