Combined Hydroxyapatite Scaffold and Stem Cell from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth Modulating Alveolar Bone Regeneration via Regulating Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-Κb and Osteoprotegerin System.

Background: Tissue engineering using Stem cell from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth (SHED) and a natural biomaterials biomaterial scaffold has become a promising therapy for the alveolar bone defect. The aim of this study was to analyze the Osteoprotegerin (OPG) and Receptor Activator of NF-Κb ligand (RANKL) expression after the application of Hydroxyapatite scaffold and SHED.

Methods: A laboratory experimental research with a post test-only control group. 14 male Wistar rats weighing from 260 to 280 g were used as the animal study. The animals were randomly assigned to an experimental group Hydroxyapatite scaffold (group I) and Hydroxyapatite scaffold combined with SHED (group II). The alveolar bone defect in the animal study model was affected by extracting anterior mandible teeth. Immunostaining was performed after 8 weeks in order to facilitate the examination of OPG and RANKL expression. Data were analyzed by independent t test. The correlation between OPG and RANKL expression were analyzed using Pearson's correlation test (P<0.05). Statistical analysis was performed using R statistical software version 3.4.0.

Results: The independent t test showed that the differences were statistically significant. OPG expression in Group I (6.0±1.00) was lower than in Group II (11.6±1.14) (P=0.0004). The independent t test showed that the differences were statistically significant. RANKL expression for Group I (12.67±2.08) and Group II (4.80±1.304) showed a statistically significant difference (P=0.0005).

Conclusion: Hydroxyapatite scaffold and SHED increase Osteoprotegerin and decrease Receptor Activator of NF-κB Ligand expression with high potential as an effective agent in alveolar bone defect regeneration.