Hydrogel Arrays and Choroidal Neovascularization Models for Evaluation of Angiogenic Activity of Vital Pulp Therapy Biomaterials.

Introduction: This study intended to evaluate the angiogenic properties of vital pulp therapy materials including white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA), calcium hydroxide (Ca[OH]), Geristore (Den-Mat, Santa Maria, CA), and nano WMTA biomaterials.

Methods: WMTA, Ca(OH), Geristore, and nano WMTA disks were prepared, dispersed into 2 mL Milli-Q (Millipore, ThermoFisher, Hanover Park, IL) distilled water, and centrifuged to obtain 2 mL supernatant elution. Thirty-five wells of polyethylene glycol hydrogel arrays were prepared and divided into 5 groups of 7 (n = 7). Mice molar endothelial cells (ECs) were placed on hydrogel arrays. The elution prepared from each sample was diluted in growth medium (1:3) and added to the hydrogel arrays. The EC medium alone was used for the control. For the choroidal neovascularization (CNV) model, thirty-five 6-week-old female mice were lasered and divided into 5 groups, and elution from each sample (2 μL) or saline (control) was delivered by intravitreal injection on the day of the laser treatment and 1 week later. The mean number of nodes, the total length of the branches in the hydrogel arrays, and the mean area of CNV were calculated using ImageJ software (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD) and analyzed by 1-way analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey honest significant difference tests.

Results: The comparison of results regarding the number of nodes showed the values of control > Geristore > nano WMTA > WMTA > Ca(OH). Regarding the total branch length and the CNV area, the comparison of results showed values of Geristore > control > nano WMTA > WMTA > Ca(OH).

Conclusions: All tested materials showed minimal antiangiogenic activity, whereas Geristore and nano WMTA showed a higher proangiogenic activity than WMTA and Ca(OH).