Pluripotency of Dental Pulp Cells and Periodontal Ligament Cells Was Enhanced through Cell-Cell Communication via STAT3/Oct-4/Sox2 Signaling

Figure 6

STAT3 overexpression and silence models were established in DPCs and PDLCs. The results of PCR and WB showed that STAT3 was significantly enhanced and silenced in DPCs and PDLCs (a, b, e, and f, ). Oct-4 (c, d) and Sox2 (c, d) showed similar patterns of mRNA expression, consistent with the overexpression or silence of STAT3, and both mRNA levels were significantly upregulated or downregulated in both DPCs and PDLCs (, , and ). The results of western blot showed that the levels of Oct-4 and Sox2 proteins were significantly increased or reduced in DPCs and PDLCs (e, f). The apoptosis rates of DPCs and PDLCs were significantly reduced compared with the control group (g, Table 6, and ). The cell cycles of both DPCs and PDLCs were arrested at the G0/G1 phase (h, Table 6, ). 1: group of control; 2: group of pcDNA3.0; 3: group of pcDNA3.0-STAT3; 4: group of shCTRL; and 5: group of shSTAT3.

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