Biological Analysis of Simvastatin-releasing Chitosan Scaffold as a Cell-free System for Pulp-dentin Regeneration

The improvement of biomaterials capable of driving the regeneration of the pulp-dentin complex mediated by resident cells is the goal of regenerative dentistry. In the present investigation, a chitosan scaffold (CHSC) that released bioactive concentrations of simvastatin (SIM) was tested, aimed at the development of a cell-free tissue engineering system. First, we performed a dose-response assay to select the bioactive dose of SIM capable of inducing an odontoblastic phenotype in dental pulp cells (DPCs); after which we evaluated the synergistic effect of this dosage with the CHSC/DPC construct. SIM at 1.0 μmol/L (CHSC-SIM1.0) and 0.5 μmol/L were incorporated into the CHSC, and cell viability, adhesion, and calcium deposition were evaluated. Finally, we assessed the biomaterials in an artificial pulp chamber/3-dimensional culture model to simulate the cell-free approach in vitro. SIM at 0.1 μmol/L was selected as the bioactive dose. This drug was capable of strongly inducing an odontoblastic phenotype on the DPC/CHSC construct. The incorporation of SIM into CHSC had no deleterious effect on cell viability and adhesion to the scaffold structure. CHSC-SIM1.0 led to significantly higher calcium-rich matrix deposition on scaffold/dentin disc assay compared with the control (CHSC). This biomaterial induced the migration of DPCs from a 3-dimensional culture to its surface as well as stimulated significantly higher expressions of alkaline phosphatase, collagen type 1 alpha 1, dentin matrix acidic phosphoprotein 1, and dentin sialophosphoprotein on 3-dimensional–cultured DPCs than on those in contact with CHSC. CHSC-SIM1.0 scaffold was capable of increasing the chemotaxis and regenerative potential of DPCs. •Low-dose simvastatin features chemotactic and bioactive potentials on dental pulp cells.•Dental pulp cells seeded on chitosan-simvastatin scaffolds exhibited an intense odontogenic phenotype along with deposition of high amounts of calcium-rich matrix.•The chitosan-simvastatin scaffold induced dental pulp cell migration to its surface.•Three-dimensional–cultured dental pulp cells in contact with a chitosan-simvastatin scaffold featured a high expression of odontogenic markers.