LAUSR

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs-Exo) and human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs-Exo) on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in human dental pulp stem cells. METHODS Exosomes were extracted from the supernatant of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells and human dental pulp stem cells. Lipopolysaccharide was used to establish the inflammation model in human dental pulp stem cells. Then human dental pulp stem cells were treated with hUCMSCs-Exo and hDPSCs-Exo, respectively. We examined the proliferation, apoptosis, and secretion of inflammatory cytokines of human dental pulp stem cells in vitro. RESULTS Exosomes had the capacity to reverse the lipopolysaccharide-induced inhibitory effect on human dental pulp stem cells proliferation and suppress lipopolysaccharide-induced apoptosis. Additionally, exosomes reduced the pro-inflammatory cytokines expression and increased anti-inflammatory cytokine expression. However, compared with hDPSCs-Exo, hUCMSCs-Exo had better ability to reverse inhibition of proliferation, suppress apoptosis and regulate release of inflammatory cytokines in human dental pulp stem cells. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that exosomes could alleviate inflammation in human dental pulp stem cells. hUCMSCs-Exo do show even stronger effects than hDPSCs-Exo.