The aim of this study was to track dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) labeled with dextran-coated\nsuperparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).\nDental pulp was isolated from male Sprague Dawley rats and cultured in Dulbeccoâ??s modified Eagleâ??s\nmedium F12 (DMEM-F12) and 10% fetal bovine serum. Effects of SPIONs on morphology, viability,\napoptosis, stemness, and osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of DPSCs were assessed. Prussian\nblue staining and MRI were conducted to determine in vitro efficiency of SPIONs uptake by the cells.\nBoth non-labeled and labeled DPSCs were adherent to culture plates and showed spindle-shape\nmorphologies, respectively. They were positive for osteogenic and adipogenic induction and\nexpression of cluster of differentiation (CD) 73 and CD90 biomarkers, but negative for expression\nof CD34 and CD45 biomarkers. The SPIONs were non-toxic and did not induce apoptosis in\ndoses less than 25 mg/mL. Internalization of the SPIONs within the DPSCs was confirmed by\nPrussian blue staining and MRI. Our findings revealed that the MRI-based method could successfully\nmonitor DPSCs labeled with dextran-coated SPIONs without any significant effect on osteogenic\nand adipogenic differentiation, viability, and stemness of DPSCs. We provided the in vitro evidence\nsupporting the feasibility of an MRI-based method to monitor DPSCs labeled with SPIONs without\nany significant reduction in viability, proliferation, and differentiation properties of labeled cells,\nshowing that internalization of SPIONs within DPSCs were not toxic at doses less than 25 mg/mL.\nIn general, the SPION labeling does not seem to impair cell survival or differentiation. SPIONs are\nbiocompatible, easily available, and cost effective, opening a new avenue in stem cell labeling in\nregenerative medicine.
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