Fig. 3: RSV treatment improved the osteogenic and bone regenerative potential of P-PDLSCs.

a Western blot analysis of molecular targets demonstrated inhibition of the NFκB pathway and stimulation of the AMPK pathway by RSV in P-PDLSC aggregates. b Osteogenesis of PDLSC aggregates demonstrated by ALP (top) and alizarin red staining (bottom). Bars: 5 mm (top) and 50 μm (bottom). c, d RSV treatment improved the ALP activity (c) and mineralized capability (d) of P-PDLSC aggregates. e qRT-PCR analysis of the osteogenic marker genes Alp, Runx2, Ocn, and Col1 in PDLSC aggregates after osteogenic induction. The data showed that RSV promoted the osteogenic potential of P-PDLSC aggregates. f–h Histological analysis of ectopic tissue regeneration of PDLSC aggregates in nude mice by HE and Masson’s trichrome staining (f) showed that P-PDLSC aggregates regenerated less bone (denoted by B) (g) and formed less collagen bone matrix (denoted by C) (h), which could be promoted by RSV treatment. Calcined bovine bone (CBB) was used as the scaffold. RSV was applied at 10 nM throughout the in vitro treatments. Bars: 50 μm. n = 3 per group (a) and n = 6 per group (b–h). The data represent the mean ± SD. *P < 0.05