Gold Nanoparticles Promote the Bone Regeneration of Periodontal Ligament Stem Cell Sheets Through Activation of Autophagy

Objective: Cell sheet technology (CST) is advantageous for repairing alveolar bone defects in clinical situations, and osteogenic induction before implantation may result in enhanced bone regeneration. Herein, we observed the effect of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cell (PDLSC) sheets and explored their potential mechanism of action. Methods: PDLSCs were cultured in cell sheet induction medium to obtain cell sheets. PDLSC sheets were treated with or without AuNPs. Alkaline phosphatase, alizarin red S, von Kossa, and immunofluorescence staining were used to observe the effects of AuNPs on the osteogenic differentiation of PDLSC sheets. Western blotting was performed to evaluate the osteogenic effects and autophagy activity. The cell sheets were transplanted into the dorsa of nude mice, and bone regeneration was analyzed by micro-CT and histological staining. Results: AuNPs could promote the osteogenic differentiation of PDLSC sheets by upregulating bone-related protein expression and mineralization. The 45-nm AuNPs were more effective than 13-nm AuNPs. Additional analysis demonstrated that their ability to promote differentiation could depend on activation of the autophagy pathway through upregulation of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 and downregulation of sequestosome 1/p62. Furthermore, AuNPs significantly promoted the bone regeneration of PDLSC sheets in ectopic models. Conclusion: AuNPs enhance the osteogenesis of PDLSC sheets by activating autophagy, and 45-nm AuNPs were more effective than 13-nm AuNPs. This study may provide an AuNP-based pretreatment strategy for improving the application of CST in bone repair and regeneration.

Automated summary

The study showed that AuNPs can enhance osteogenesis of PDLSC sheets by promoting bone-related protein expression and mineralization, with 45-nm AuNPs being more effective than 13-nm ones. Additionally, AuNPs were found to activate the autophagy pathway to promote differentiation and enhance bone regeneration in ectopic models. These findings suggest a potential AuNP-based pretreatment strategy for improving CST in bone repair and regeneration.