Cell Death Dis. 2018 Jul 3;9(7):738. doi: 10.1038/s41419-018-0753-0.

Therapeutic effect of dental pulp stem cell transplantation on a rat model of radioactivity-induced esophageal injury.

Zhang C¹, Zhang Y¹, Feng Z¹, Zhang F¹, Liu Z¹, Sun X¹, Ruan M¹, Liu M¹, Jin S².

Abstract

Dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) transplantation has been demonstrated to promote the regeneration and repair of tissues and organs and is a potentially effective treatment for radioactive esophageal injury. In this study, to explore the therapeutic effects of DPSCs on acute radiation-induced esophageal injury, DPSCs were cultured and transplanted into rats with acute radioactive esophageal injuries induced by radioactive ¹²⁵I seeds in vivo. In the injured esophagus, PKH26-labeled DPSCs co-localized with PCNA, CK14, CD71, and integrin α6, and the expression levels of these four makers of esophageal stem cells were significantly increased. After DPSC transplantation, the injured esophagus exhibited a greater thickness. In addition, the esophageal function and inflammation recovered faster. The results demonstrated that transplanted DPSCs, which trans-differentiated into esophageal stem cells in vivo, could repair the damaged esophageal tissue.