Frankincense (Boswellia serrata) Extract Effects on Growth and Biofilm Formation of Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Its Intracellular Infection in Human Gingival Epithelial Cells.

Frankincense is produced by Boswellia trees, which can be found throughout the Middle East and parts of Africa and Asia. Boswellia serrata extract has been shown to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. Periodontitis is an oral chronic inflammatory disease that affects nearly half of the US population. We investigated the antimicrobial effects of B. serrata extract on two oral pathogens associated with periodontitis. Using the minimum inhibitory concentration and crystal violet staining methods, we demonstrated that Porphyromonas gingivalis growth and biofilm formation were impaired by treatment with B. serrata extracts. However, the effects on Fusobacterium nucleatum growth and biofilm formation were not significant. Using quantification of colony-forming units and microscopy techniques, we also showed that concentrations of B. serrata that were not toxic for host cells decreased intracellular P. gingivalis infection in human gingival epithelial cells. Our results show antimicrobial activity of a natural product extracted from Boswellia trees (B. serrata) against periodontopathogens. Thus, B. serrata has the potential for preventing and/or treating periodontal diseases. Future studies will identify the molecular components of B. serrata extracts responsible for the beneficial effects.

miRNAs mediate the impact of smoking on dental pulp stem cells via the p53 pathway.

Cigarette smoke changes the genomic and epigenomic imprint of cells. In this study, we investigated the biological consequences of extended cigarette smoke exposure on dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and the potential roles of miRNAs. DPSCs were treated with various doses of cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) for up to 6 weeks. Cell proliferation, survival, migration, and differentiation were evaluated. Cytokine and miRNA expression were profiled. The results showed that extended exposure to CSC significantly impaired the regenerative capacity of the DPSCs. Bioinformatic analysis showed that the cell cycle pathway, cancer pathways (small cell lung cancer, pancreatic, colorectal, and prostate cancer), and pathways for TNF, TGF-ß, p53, PI3K-Akt, mTOR, and ErbB signal transduction, were associated with altered miRNA profiles. In particular, 3 miRNAs has-miR-26a-5p, has-miR-26b-5p, and has-miR-29b-3p fine-tune the p53 and cell cycle signaling pathways to regulate DPSC cellular activities. The work indicated that miRNAs are promising targets to modulate stem cell regeneration and understanding miRNA-targeted genes and their associated pathways in smoking individuals have significant implications for disease control and prevention.

Cigarette smoking exposure disrupts the regenerative potential of dental pulp stem cells.

INTRODUCTION: Smoking is known to alter the regenerative and immunomodulatory properties of many types of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). This study investigates the impact of cigarette smoke exposure on the regenerative potential of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). METHODS: DPSCs were treated with various doses of cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) or nicotine. Cell proliferation and survival were evaluated by a water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST-1) and a survival assay. DPSC migration, cytokine expression, mutagenesis, and the signaling pathway were also measured during CSC and nicotine treatment. RESULTS: Low concentrations of CSC and nicotine did not impair cell proliferation, but higher concentrations reduced cell proliferation. CSC and nicotine could impede DPSC survival and migration in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the cytokine secretion expression profile was altered with CSC or nicotine treatments. In particular, secretion of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-10 significantly increased, while TGF-ß1 levels showed different patterns after exposure to CSC or nicotine, as shown by ELISA and quantitative PCR. Nicotine treatment increased AKT (also known as protein kinase B) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation. Finally, CSC induced higher levels of mutagenicity than nicotine, as shown by the Ames test. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that cigarette smoke exposure alters the regenerative abilities of DPSCs in various ways. Future studies are warranted to further characterize the underlying molecular mechanisms of smoking-mediated damage to DPSCs, which will guide the personalized stem cell treatment plan for smoking patients.

Enhancement of cell proliferation and motility of mammalian cells grown in co-culture with Pichia pastoris expressing recombinant human FGF-2.

Many studies examining the biological function of recombinant proteins and their effects on the physiology of mammalian cells stipulate that the proteins be purified before being used as therapeutic agents. In this study, we explored the possibility of using unpurified recombinant proteins to treat mammalian cells. The recombinant protein was used directly from the expression source and the biological function was compared to purified commercially available, equivalent protein. The model for this purpose was recombinant FGF-2, expressed by Pichia pastoris, which was used to treat the murine fibroblast cell line, NIH/3T3. We generated a P. pastoris strain (yHL11) that constitutively secreted a biologically active recombinant FGF-2 protein containing an N-terminal c-myc epitope (Myc-FGF-2). Myc-FGF-2 was then used without purification either a) in the form of conditioned mammalian cell culture medium or b) during co-cultures of yHL11 with NIH/3T3 to induce higher proliferation and motility of NIH/3T3 cells. The effects of Myc-FGF-2 on cell physiology were comparable to commercially available FGF-2. To our knowledge, this is the first time the physiology of cultured mammalian cells had been successfully altered with a recombinant protein secreted by P. pastoris while the two species shared the same medium and culture conditions. Our data demonstrated the biological activity of unpurified recombinant FGF-2 on NIH/3T3 cells and provided a foundation for directly using unpurified recombinant proteins expressed by P. pastoris with mammalian cells, potentially as wound-healing therapeutics.

Neurilemoma of the posterior tibial nerve and tarsal tunnel syndrome.

Tarsal tunnel syndrome is defined as a compressive neuropathy of the posterior tibial nerve in the tarsal canal. A neurilemoma is an uncommon, benign, encapsulated neoplasm derived from Schwann cells. We present a case of tarsal tunnel syndrome caused by this rare space-occupying lesion.