OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the potential of ascorbic acid alone in inducing differentially expressed osteoblast-related proteins in dental stem cells via the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/ mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approach.
METHODS: The cells were isolated from deciduous (SHED) and permanent teeth (DPSC) and induced with 10 μg/mL of ascorbic acid. Bone mineralisation and osteoblast gene expression were determined using von Kossa staining and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The label-free protein samples were harvested on days 7 and 21, followed by protein identification and quantification using LC-MS/MS. Based on the similar protein expressed throughout treatment and controls for SHED and DPSC, overall biological processes followed by osteoblast-related protein abundance were determined using the PANTHER database. STRING database was performed to determine differentially expressed proteins as candidates for SHED and DPSC during osteoblast development.
RESULTS: Both cells indicated brownish mineral stain and expression of osteoblast-related genes on day 21. Overall, a total of 700 proteins were similar among all treatments on days 7 and 21, with 482 proteins appearing in the PANTHER database. Osteoblast-related protein abundance indicated 31 and 14 proteins related to SHED and DPSC, respectively. Further analysis by the STRING database identified only 22 and 11 proteins from the respective group. Differential expressed analysis of similar proteins from these two groups revealed ACTN4 and ACTN1 as proteins involved in both SHED and DPSC. In addition, three (PSMD11/RPN11, PLS3, and CLIC1) and one (SYNCRIP) protein were differentially expressed specifically for SHED and DPSC, respectively.
CONCLUSION: Proteome differential expression showed that ascorbic acid alone could induce osteoblastrelated proteins in SHED and DPSC and generate specific differentially expressed protein markers.
Materials and Methods: Twenty-five enamel slabs were divided into three treatment groups: light-activated bleaching, laser-activated bleaching, and control. The baseline data were recorded for enamel microhardness (Vickers microhardness [VMH]) and surface roughness (Roughness average, Ra). The specimens were cured for 10 min upon hydrogen peroxide application for the light-activated bleaching group and activated with a laser source, 8 cycles, 10 s per cycle for the laser-activated group. The changes in VMH and Ra at days 1, 7, and 28 were evaluated. Kruskal-Wallis, Friedman, Wilcoxon, and Mann-Whitney tests were used to analyze both VMH and Ra between the treatment groups at different time intervals.
Results: There were a significant reduction in VMH values and significant differences between days 1, 7, and 28 against the baseline in the light-activated bleaching group (P = 0.001). The Ra values revealed significant differences in both light- (P = 0.001) and laser-activated (P = 0.033) groups.
Conclusion: Light activation of a bleaching agent caused a reduction in enamel microhardness and an increase in surface roughness when compared to laser activation.
HIGHLIGHT: There were conflicting results regarding sexual dimorphism and population characterization of the palatal rugae patterns. All rugae showed positional changes, increased lengths, and lower numbers, but no significant shape changes with growth. The lengths, numbers, and positions of the rugae were affected by orthodontic treatment, especially their lateral points, but their individual characteristics did not change.
CONCLUSION: The diversity in rugae patterns and their potential for sex discrimination among different populations showed differing results due to individual variations and the complex influence of genetic, growth, and environmental factors on their morphology.