Effects of prostaglandin E on clonogenicity, proliferation and expression of pluripotent markers in human periodontal ligament cells.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Based on our earlier work on the response of periodontal ligament (PDL) cells to mechanical stress by induction of cyclooxygenase expression and production of prostaglandin PGE that could regulate mineralization of PDL cells, it was hypothesized that PGE had potential effects on PDL stemness. In this study, we aimed to investigate clonogenicity, proliferation and expression of certain pluripotent markers, considered to be characteristics of PDL stemness, in response to treatment with exogenously-added PGE.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Human PDL cells were cultured and treated with various doses of PGE, and the aforementioned characteristics of PDL stemness were analyzed.

RESULTS

The clonogenicity and proliferation were significantly enhanced by PGE at low concentrations (0.01, 0.1 and 1ng/ml; P<0.05), but only the proliferation was significantly diminished by PGE at a high concentration (100ng/ml; P<0.05). Expression of NANOG and OCT4 mRNA and protein was increased by PGE treatment at 0.1 and 1ng/ml. Consistently, expression of stage-specific embryonic antigen 4, a putative stem cell marker, was significantly augmented by PGE treatment at 1ng/ml (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that although a high dose of PGE (100ng/ml) inhibits proliferation of PDL cells, PGE at low doses appears to play a role in the maintenance of PDL stemness.