Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem-Cell Therapy to Increase the Density of Osteoporotic Mandibular Bone

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem-cell (hUCMSC) therapy in increasing osteoporotic mandibular bone density in a rat model by determining changes in alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin, type 1 collagen, and trabecular bone area after treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This research adopted an experimental posttest-only control group design. Thirty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups, namely, a control group with rats postsham surgery (T1), osteoporotic model postovariectomy rats (T2), postovariectomy rats 4 weeks after gelatin injection (T3), postovariectomy rats 8 weeks after gelatin injection (T4), postovariectomy rats 4 weeks after hUCMSC injection (T5), and postovariectomy rats 8 weeks after hUCMSC injection (T6). The rats were all sacrificed for histological and immunohistochemical examinations of ALP, osteocalcin, type 1 collagen, and trabecular bone area. RESULTS: Increased expression of ALP, type 1 collagen, and osteocalcin, as well as increased trabecular bone area, was observed in the treatment groups compared with that in the osteoporotic groups. CONCLUSION: hUCMSCs produce significant osteogenic effects and increase osteoporotic mandibular bone density in the animal model. Increases in bone density are demonstrated by the higher levels of ALP, osteocalcin, and type 1 collagen, as well as increases in the trabecular bone area.