Human dental pulp cell responses to new calcium silicate-based endodontic materials

Aim To evaluate human dental pulp cell responses to radiopaque dicalcium silicate cement and white-coloured mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA). Methodology Flow cytometry was employed to quantify the phase percentage of pulp cell cycle. Alamar Blue was used for real-time and repeated monitoring of cell proliferation. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine gene expression in pulp cells cultured on the cements. Results The cells cultured on the radiopaque dicalcium silicate cement had similar S and G2 phases in the cell cycle and proliferation to WMTA at all culture times. In addition, the two materials presented the same evolution with similar values in interleukin-1, inducible nitric oxide synthase, alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and bone sialoprotein gene expression at all culture times. Conclusions The dental pulp cell responses to radiopaque dicalcium silicate cement were similar to those reported for WMTA in terms of cell cycle, proliferation, immunocompatibility and osteogenic differentiation.