Mesoporous silica-based nanoparticles (MSNs) are considered promising drug carriers because of their ordered pore structure, which permits high drug loading and release capacity. The dissolution of Si and Ca from MSNs can trigger osteogenic differentiation of stem cells towards extracellular matrix calcification, while Mg and Sr constitute key elements of bone biology and metabolism. The aim of this study was the synthesis and characterization of sol–gel-derived MSNs co-doped with Ca, Mg and Sr. Their physico-chemical properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), Brunauer Emmett Teller and Brunauer Joyner Halenda (BET/BJH), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and ζ-potential measurements. Moxifloxacin loading and release profiles were assessed with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) cell viability on human periodontal ligament fibroblasts and their hemolytic activity in contact with human red blood cells (RBCs) at various concentrations were also investigated. Doped MSNs generally retained their textural characteristics, while different compositions affected particle size, hemolytic activity and moxifloxacin loading/release profiles. All co-doped MSNs revealed the formation of hydroxycarbonate apatite on their surface after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) and promoted mitochondrial activity and cell proliferation.

This study aimed to investigate the potential of low-level laser irradiation (LLLI) to promote odontogenic differentiation and biomineralization by dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) seeded inside bioceramic scaffolds. Mg-based, Zn-doped bioceramic scaffolds, synthesized by the sol-gel technique, were spotted with DPSCs and exposed to LLLI at 660 nm with maximum output power of 140 mw at fluencies (a) 2 and 4 J/cm to evaluate cell viability/proliferation by the MTT assay and (b) 4 J/cm to evaluate cell differentiation, using real-time PCR (expression of odontogenic markers) and a p-nitrophenylphosphate (pNPP)-based assay for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity measurement. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were used for structural/chemical characterization of the regenerated tissues. Exposure of the DPSCs/scaffold complexes to the proposed LLLI scheme was associated with statistically significant increase of odontogenesis-related markers (bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2): 22.4-fold, dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP): 28.4-fold, Osterix: 18.5-fold, and Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2): 3.4-fold). ALP activity was significantly increased at 3 and 7 days inside the irradiated compared to that in the non-irradiated SC/DPSC complexes, but gradually decreased until 14 days. Newly formed Ca-P tissue was formed on the SC/DPSC complexes after 28 days of culture that attained the characteristics of bioapatite. Overall, LLLI treatment proved to be beneficial for odontogenic differentiation and biomineralization of DPSCs inside the bioceramic scaffolds, making this therapeutic modality promising for targeted dentin engineering.

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Glass-ceramic scaffolds containing Mg have shown recently the potential to enhance the proliferation, differentiation, and biomineralization of stem cells in vitro, property that makes them promising candidates for dental tissue regeneration. An additional property of a scaffold aimed at dental tissue regeneration is to protect the regeneration process against oral bacteria penetration. In this respect, novel bioactive scaffolds containing Mg2+ and Cu2+ or Zn2+, ions known for their antimicrobial properties, were synthesized by the foam replica technique and tested regarding their bioactive response in SBF, mechanical properties, degradation, and porosity. Finally their ability to support the attachment and long-term proliferation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs) was also evaluated. The results showed that conversely to their bioactive response in SBF solution, Zn-doped scaffolds proved to respond adequately regarding their mechanical strength and to be efficient regarding their biological response, in comparison to Cu-doped scaffolds, which makes them promising candidates for targeted dental stem cell odontogenic differentiation and calcified dental tissue engineering.