Abstract: Objective · To determine the effect of recombinant human amelogenin (rhAm)-loaded PCLA-PEG-PCLA hydrogels on cell proliferation, immigration, attachment and osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPDLFs). Methods · HPDLFs were obtainedtissue block method in vitro extracted premolars and the 3rd-5th passages of HPDLFs were treated with DMEM medium (control group), 20 μg/mL rhAm (rhAm group) or rhAm-loaded PCLA-PEG-PCLA hydrogels (rhAm-loaded hydrogel group). Proliferation activity was measuredCCK-8, while cell migration was assayed bothwound-healing experiment in vitro and Transwell experiment. Cell attachment was measuredhemocytometer and observedscanning electron microscope. Osteogenic differentiation was measuredreal-time PCR, with ALP, Runx2, CEMP1 and CAP as the target genes. Results · RhAm-loaded PCLA-PEG-PCLA hydrogels had no significant effect on cell growth curve of HPDLFs, but promoted cell proliferation after 3 days (P<0.05). RhAm accelerated cell migration mostly both in wound-healing experiment and Transwell experiment, with rhAm-loaded hydrogels in the second place. RhAm-loaded hydrogels promoted cell attachment, and in the 4th hour the promotion was of statistic significance (P<0.05). Meanwhile cells of rhAm group and rhAm-loaded hydrogel group had a better stretch condition than control group under the scanning electron microscope. After culture with rhAm-loaded hydrogels, ALP, Runx2, CEMP1, and CAP mRNA were upregulated in different time points. Conclusion · Recombinant human amelogenin-loaded PCLA-PEG-PCLA hydrogels can significantly improve proliferation, attachment and osteogenic differentiation of HPDLFs, but has no effect on cell migration on a statistical scale.

Key words: periodontal tissue regeneration, amelogenin, hydrogel, proliferation, attachment, migration, osteogenic differentiation