Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen and Inflammation on Human Gingival Mesenchymal Stem/Progenitor Cells

The present study explores for the first time the effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on gingival mesenchymal stem cells’ (G-MSCs) gene expression profile, intracellular pathways activation, pluripotency and differentiation potential under an experimental inflammatory setup. G-MSCs were isolated from five healthy individuals (n=5) and characterized. Single (24h) or double (72h) HBO stimulation (100%O2, 3bar, 90min) was performed under experimental in-flammatory [IL-1β(1ng/ml)/TNF-α(10ng/ml)/IFN-γ(100ng/ml)] and non-inflammatory mi-cro-environment. Next Generation Sequencing and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, G-MSCs’ pluripotency gene expression, Wnt-/β-catenin pathway activation, proliferation, colo-ny-formation and differentiation were investigated. G-MSCs demonstrated all mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells’ characteristics. The benefi-cial effect of a single HBO stimulation was evident, with anti-inflammatory effects and induction of differentiation (TLL1, ID3, BHLHE40), proliferation/cell survival (BMF, ID3, TXNIP, PDK4, ABL2), migration (ABL2) and osteogenic differentiation (p<0.05). A second HBO stimulation at 72h had a detrimental effect, significantly increasing the inflammation-induced cellular stress and ROS accumulation through HMOX1, BHLHE40 and ARL4C amplification and pathway en-richment (p<0.05). Results outline a positive short-term single HBO anti-inflammatory, regenerative and dif-ferentiation stimulatory effect on G-MSCs. A second (72h) stimulation is yet detrimental on the same properties. The current results could open new perspectives in the clinical application of short-termed HBO induction in G-MSCs-mediated periodontal reparative/regenerative mecha-nisms. The present study explores for the first time the effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on gingival mesenchymal stem cells’ (G-MSCs) gene expression profile. Single (24h) or double (72h) HBO stimulation (100%O2, 3bar, 90min) was performed under experimental inflammatory [IL-1β(1ng/ml)/TNF-α(10ng/ml)/IFN-γ(100ng/ml)] and non-inflammatory micro-environment.