EFFECTS OF N-ACETYLCYSTEINE ON VIABILITY AND PROLIFERATION OF DENTAL PULP STEM CELLS (DPSCS) OF PERMANENT TEETH

• Grant number: 25/01120-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2025
• End date: March 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Endodontics
• Principal Investigator: Marcia Carneiro Valera Garakis
• Grantee: Bianca Cabral
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia (ICT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José dos Campos. São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bioengineering and regeneration of the dentin-pulp complex in teeth with pulpnecrosis represent a growing field in Endodontics, aiming to preserve pulp vitalityin cases of endodontic infections. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) exhibit highdifferentiation potential into multiple cell lineages and significant clonogeniccapacity, making them promising targets for tissue regeneration strategies.However, the viability and proliferation of DPSCs can be compromised byconventionally used antimicrobial agents due to their high cytotoxicity. Nacetylcysteine (NAC) is an antioxidant and mucolytic agent with antibacterialproperties that emerges as a potential therapeutic alternative with lower toxicity,helping to preserve DPSCs and facilitating intracanal tissue regeneration.Therefore, this study aims to evaluate, in vitro, the effects of NAC on the viabilityand proliferation of DPSCs at different concentrations (0.01 mg/mL, 0.1 mg/mL,and 1 mg/mL) and exposure times (24 and 48 hours). Additionally, the cells willbe exposed to different pH conditions (stabilized and non-stabilized) toinvestigate the influence of the environment on NAC's effects and its antioxidantcapacity, specifically in inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) under conditionsthat simulate the clinical environment.For this purpose, two human DPSClineages will be cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM),supplemented with different NAC concentrations prepared in an aqueoussolution. Cell viability will be assessed using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay,which stains cellular proteins to quantify viable cells, while metabolic activity willbe measured through the MTS assay. The results will be evaluated qualitativelyand quantitatively and subjected to statistical analysis.