The effects of calcium silicate cement/fibroblast growth factor-2 composite on osteogenesis accelerator in human dental pulp cells

Abstract Background/purpose To examine the effects of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2)/calcium silicate (CS) cement on material characters and in vitro primary human dental pulp cell (hDPC) behavior. Materials and methods Setting time and diametral tensile strength (DTS) of CS and CS/FGF-2 composite were measured. PrestoBlue assay was used for evaluating primary hDPC proliferation. Alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin expression in HDPCs cultured on the specimens were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. One-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate the significance of the differences between the mean values. Results Setting time and DTS of CS were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between CS hydration with H2O or FGF-2. Cell proliferation and osteogenic properties increased significantly (P < 0.05) with FGF-2 mixed CS. The CS/FGF-2 composite enhanced hDPC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation as compared to pure CS cement. Conclusion CS combined with FGF-2 is biocompatible with hDPCs. It not only promotes hDPC proliferation but also helps in differentiating reparative hard tissue. Thus, we suggest that the CS/FGF-2 composite has the potential for hard tissue defect repair.