Multifunctional Lithium-Doped Mesoporous Nanoparticles for Effective Dentin Regeneration in vivo
Zitian Liang, Ding Chen, Ye Jiang, Zhikang Su, Yixing Pi, Tao Luo, Qianzhou Jiang, Yang Li, Lvhua Guo
Abstract
Introduction: Effective infection control without irritating the pulp tissue is the key to successful vital pulp therapy. Developing a novel antibacterial biomaterial that promotes dentin regeneration for pulp capping is thus a promising strategy for enhancing vital pulp therapy. Methods: Lithium-doped mesoporous nanoparticles (Li-MNPs) were synthesized using an alkali-catalyzed sol-gel method. The particle size, elemental distribution, surface morphology, pore structure, and ion release from Li-MNPs were measured. Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and Streptococcus mutans ( S. mutans ) were used to evaluate the biological effects of Li-MNPs. In addition, a dental pulp exposure mouse model was used to evaluate the regenerative effects of Li-MNPs. Results: Li-MNPs had a larger surface area (221.18 m 2 /g), a larger pore volume (0.25 cm 3 /g), and a smaller particle size (520.92 ± 35.21 nm) than MNPs. The in vitro investigation demonstrated that Li-MNPs greatly enhanced the biomineralization and odontogenic differentiation of hDPSCs through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Li-MNPs showed a strong antibacterial effect on S. mutans . As expected, Li-MNPs significantly promoted dentin regeneration in situ and in vivo. Conclusion: Li-MNPs promoted dentin regeneration and inhibited S. mutans growth, implying a possible application as a pulp capping agent in vital pulp therapy. Graphical Abstract: Keywords: lithium, mesoporous nanoparticles, dental pulp stem cells, dentin regeneration, Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, antibacterial properties