2025, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (36): 7769-7775

Effect of miR-26b on neural and vascular differentiation in stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth

Zhou Shaolan, Yuan Yuanyuan, Pan Lu, Xu Wen, Qu Shuman   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth are widely used in the field of tissue repair and regeneration, but the tissue regeneration effect has limitations in practical applications. Using miRNA to intervene in the directional differentiation of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth is an important development direction for tissue repair and regeneration in the future.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of miR-26b on the neurogenic and angiogenic differentiation of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth.
METHODS: Dental pulp stem cells were isolated and extracted from human exfoliated deciduous teeth, and induced to differentiate into nerves and blood vessels. The expressions of neurogenic markers Nestin, NSE, βIII-Tubulin, and angiogenic markers CD31, VEGFR2, ANG-1 and miR-26b were detected. Dental pulp stem cells were divided into blank control group, miR-26 overexpression group, and negative control group. RT-qPCR, cell immunofluorescence staining, and western blot assay were used to detect the expression changes of related markers of neurogenic and angiogenic induction of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth in each group.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth had multi-directional differentiation potential and could differentiate into osteogenesis, adipogenesis, neurogenesis, and vasculogenesis. (2) The expression level of miR-26b increased during the neurogenic and angiogenic differentiation of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth. (3) Compared with the blank control group and negative control group, the mRNA expression of neuroblast-related genes βIII-Tubulin, Nestin, NSE and angiogenesis-related genes CD31, VEGFR2, and ANG-1 in stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth in the miR-26b overexpression group was significantly increased (P < 0.01), βIII-Tubulin, Nestin, CD31, and VEGFR2 protein expression was significantly increased (P < 0.01). The above results show that overexpression of miR-26b can promote the neurogenic and angiogenic differentiation of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth.

Key words: stem cells from deciduous teeth, miR-26b, neurogenic differentiation, angiogenic differentiation, pulp regeneration, engineered stem cells