OR25 - Exploring Stem Cells for Management of Post-Operative Endodontic Pain

Thursday, April 18, 2024

1:00 PM – 1:15 PM PT

Location: 501 ABC

Presenter(s)

Shilpa Thakkar, B.D.S.

Resident
University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas

Disclosure information not submitted.

Co-Author(s)

JM

Josue Murillo, B.Sc.

Ph.D. Student
University of Alabama College of Dentistry UAB
San Antonio, Texas

Disclosure information not submitted.
PC

Phoebe Chang, M.S.

Senior Research Assistant
University of Alabama College of Dentistry UAB
San Antonio, Texas

Disclosure information not submitted.
KN

Kaila Nip, M.S., B.Sc.

Research Assistant
University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas

Disclosure information not submitted.
Nikita B. Ruparel, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Director of the Advanced Education Program in Endodontics
University of Texas at San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas

Disclosure information not submitted.
BC

Brett Chapa, B.Sc.

Medical student
University of Alabama College of Dentistry UAB
San Antonio, Texas

Disclosure information not submitted.

Abstract: Persistent post-endodontic pain affects approximately 2 million patients. The chronic use of current analgesics leads to serious adverse effects, including contributing to the opioid epidemic. Thus, it is imperative to investigate novel classes of compounds devoid of adverse effects for lasting pain relief. Stem cell-induced analgesia has shown promising efficacy in clinical and preclinical studies. This research aims to evaluate the role of human stem cells of the apical papilla (hSCAP) and its potential mechanisms in attenuating apical periodontitis (AP)-induced pain. Baseline mechanical thresholds of BALB/c mice were obtained using the von Frey behavioral assay. AP was induced via pulp exposures of the maxillary left first molar. Following this, mice received weekly intravenous hSCAP injections for three weeks. Orofacial behavior was evaluated each week. hSCAP homing was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. Bulk RNA sequencing was performed on mouse periapical lesions to determine potential targets mediating the hSCAP effect. Intraoral recombinant drug injections of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) for three days were performed to evaluate its effect on mechanical allodynia. Data were analyzed by 2-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test. Orofacial behavior demonstrated that hSCAP significantly reversed AP-induced mechanical allodynia. Immunohistochemistry showed hSCAP selectively homed to periapical granulomas. RNA sequencing of granulomas from mice injected with hSCAP revealed a 133-fold increase in MIF expression. Intraoral recombinant MIF injections significantly reversed AP-induced pain. Collectively, we demonstrate the effectiveness of stem cells in attenuating AP-induced pain via hSCAP-derived MIF release. These studies highlight a novel analgesic drug class potentially devoid of serious adverse effects.