Wedelolactone Enhances Odontoblast Differentiation by Promoting Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway and Suppressing NF-κB Signaling Pathway

Abstract

Wedelolactone is a multitarget natural plant compound with many pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antiosteoporosis. In this study, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) were treated with or without wedelolactone. We found that wedelolactone stimulated odontoblast differentiation and mineralization. At the molecular level, wedelolactone directly promoted the nuclear accumulation of β-catenin, and thereafter stimulated the expression of odontoblast-related marker genes containing dentin matrix protein-1 (DMP1), dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP), and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2). Furthermore, wedelolactone upregulated the expression of IκBα and inhibited phosphonation and nuclear migration of p65. As a result, wedelolactone remarkably induced odontoblast differentiation through semaphorin 3A (Sema3A)/neuropilin-1 (NRP1) pathway-mediated β-catenin activation and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway inhibition. Our findings provide novel perceptions on odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs.