Dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) are a type of adult stem cells that exist in dental pulp tissue and have an immunophenotype similar to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC), osteoblasts, odontoblasts, muscle cells, and nerve cells. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have a higher proliferative capacity than BMSCs and have the advantage of being able to easily collect stem cells from patients compared to other tissues, so they are considered ideal in terms of tissue engineering such as tooth regeneration and nerve regeneration. Chios gum mastic (CGM) is a resin extracted from the stems and leaves of Pistacia lentiscus var Chia, a plant that grows only on the Greek island of Chios. It has been used for centuries in the Mediterranean and Middle East as a treatment for gastric and duodenal ulcers and as a food additive. Recently, attention has been paid to the effects of CGM on regenerative tissue. Our previous study demonstrated that the combined use of CGM and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) promotes the differentiation of osteoblasts through the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. This study was conducted to confirm the change in cell proliferation rate and induce differentiation activity by treating hDPSC with CGM, a substance that effectively induces differentiation of osteoblasts.
In present study, hDPSCs showed low toxic sensitivity to CGM, and CGM treatment at low concentrations induced cell proliferation by activating cell-cycle proteins. In addition, it was demonstrated that CGM induces ALP activation by increasing the expression of collagen type I, a representative matrix protein of dentin, and activates odontogenic and bone differentiation markers, eventually promoting the mineralization of hDPSCs. Additional studies on dentifrice by CGM are needed, but the results of the present study suggest that the value of CGM as a new natural material that can aid in tooth regeneration can be highly evaluated.