Comparative assessment of osteogenic potential in mesenchymal stem cells exposed to platelet-rich plasma: A study across dental pulp, bone marrow, and adipose tissue sources

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has become prominent in bone tissue engineering, prompting investigations into its effects on various sources of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). This study evaluates the osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs), bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), and human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs) when cultured in a PRP-enriched medium. The objective is to determine the most effective MSC source for clinical bone tissue engineering applications. We assessed osteogenic differentiation by measuring Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) activity, performing Alizarin Red S staining for calcium deposition, conducting quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for osteogenic marker gene expression, and employing Western blotting to detect osteogenic protein expression. The results indicated enhanced ALP activity and calcium deposition in all PRP-treated groups. Notably, hDPSCs and BMSCs showed significantly greater calcium deposition and higher levels of osteogenic gene expression than hADSCs. Protein expression upregulation followed a similar pattern, with hDPSCs displaying a slight, though not significant, advantage over BMSCs. In conclusion, hDPSCs exhibited strong osteogenic potential in the presence of PRP, comparable to BMSCs and superior to that of hADSCs. These findings underscore the potential of hDPSCs, in conjunction with PRP, for the clinical regeneration of calcified tissues, including bone.