Synergistic influence of scaffolds and biomaterials in odontogenic and vasculogenic marker gene expression in MG63 cell line

Aim: The synergism between scaffolds and bioactive materials used in regenerative endodontic procedures is worth investigation to have predictable treatment outcome. This study was conducted to quantify the synergistic influence of two bioactive cements with platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). Methods: The two bioactive cements (MTA Angelus/experimental bioactive cement) were mixed with either the cement liquid or a combination of liquid and PRF obtained from consenting human volunteer and added on MG63 cell line with differentiation media. PRF was added separately to the cells as a positive control group. Gene marker expression of dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was quantitatively analyzed and compared to reference standard (house-keeping gene) glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Results: Both MTA and experimental bioactive cement had synergistic upregulation of the two genes’ (DSPP: P = 0.04 and VEGF: P = 0.01) expression studied when in combination with PRF. However, experimental cement had a significant upregulation of both the genes’ expression equal to that of PRF when tested alone as against MTA ( P = 0.02). MTA in combination with PRF expressed more DSPP than VEGF, while the reverse was true for that of experimental bioactive cement. The combination of the experimental bioactive cement with PRF expressed both the marker genes significantly more ( P = 0.03) than that of MTA with PRF. Conclusion: The bioactive cements evaluated in this study had synergistic upregulation of DSPP and VEGF gene markers’ expression. The experimental bioactive cement was equivalent to PRF in upregulating both the genes’ expression.