Comparison of the In Vitro Angiogenic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Human Dental Pulp and Human Bone Marrow through the Expression of Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 (VEGFR2)

Introduction: Mesenchymal stem cells have two essential properties, namely, high self-renewal capability and multilineage differentiation potential, including angiogenic differentiation. Angiogenesis, also known as the formation of new blood vessels, is a focal point in tissue engineering. The regulation of angiogenesis is part of regenerative therapeutics by promoting neovascularisation, where blood vessels are required to provide nutrients and facilitate the removal of waste products. However, the comparison of the angiogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells derived from human dental pulp (DP-MSCs) and human bone marrow (BM-MSCs) has not been adequately described. Thus, this project is aimed to analyse the angiogenic potential of DP-MSC and BM-MSC in vitro by measuring the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2). Material and Methods: Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from dental pulp tissue and tibial bone marrow aspirates; cultured in MSC alpha-MEM basal medium. The cells were characterised by immunophenotyping using flow cytometer. The MSCs were subjected to angiogenic differentiation for 3 weeks, and angiogenic marker VEGFR2 was detected using immunohistochemistry staining. Results: Both MSCs expressed the positive marker of MSCs, CD105 and the absence of haematopoietic markers, CD45 and CD34. When both sources of MSCs cultured in a standard and angiogenic media, DP-MSCs demonstrated an inherent expression of VEGFR2 at the basal level but approximately increased 60% with angiogenesis induction media. On the other hand, BM-MSCs did not display VEGFR2 expression at the basal level yet showed ~20% of expression upon induction with angiogenic media. Conclusion: The angiogenic differentiation potential of human dental pulp stem cells (DP-MSCs) was significantly higher than that of human bone marrow stem cells (BM-MSCs), as evidenced by VEGFR2 expression. These findings underline the potential application of DP-MSCs in tissue regeneration and dental matrix reconstitution. Further studies should explore scalability, investigate long-term clinical outcomes, and assess integration in advanced regenerative therapies.