Bioactivity analysis of calcium silicate-based sealers and repair cements on the phenotype and cytokine secretion profile of CD14+ monocytes: An ex vivo study

Aim This study evaluated the immune bioactivity of testing media (TM) obtained from different calcium silicate-based sealers and cements on monocyte morphology, activation, differentiation and cytokine secretion. Methods Blood-derived CD14(+) monocytes were isolated and cultured for 5 days with 25% TM from the following calcium silicate-based materials: TotalFill BC RRM Fast-Set Putty, Biodentine, TotalFill BC Sealer and BioRoot-Root-Canal-Sealer (RCS). A resin-based endodontic cement was used as a control. The expression of surface markers such as CD86, HLA-DR, CD16, CD309 and CD209, and cytokine secretion were analysed by flow cytometry. Data were analysed using the one-way repeated measures analysis of variance (anova) multiple comparison test and a Holm-Sidak multiple comparison post-hoc test (p < .05). Results This comparative analysis revealed that monocytes co-cultured with calcium silicate-based materials showed a spindle-shaped morphology compared with the round shape observed in the control. Regarding activation markers, BioRoot-RCS and Biodentine significantly increased CD86 expression compared with the control sample, whereas no significant differences (p > .05) were observed in HLA-DR expression. In addition, no differences were observed among the differentiation markers. When the inflammatory cytokines were analysed, BioRoot-RCS increased the secretion of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-alpha, whereas BioRoot-RCS and Biodentine significantly decreased IL-8 production (p < .05). Conclusions These data showed that the calcium silicate-based materials tested changed the morphology of CD14(+) monocytes; however, only BioRoot-RCS and Biodentine significantly upregulated CD86. In addition, BioRoot-RCS was the sealer with the highest immunomodulatory properties for cytokine production which means that it can contribute with the in vivo healing process and regeneration of periapical lesions.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the immune bioactivity of testing media (TM) obtained from different calcium silicate-based sealers and cements on monocyte morphology, activation, differentiation, and cytokine secretion. The results showed that calcium silicate-based materials changed the morphology of CD14(+) monocytes, and BioRoot-RCS and Biodentine significantly upregulated CD86 expression. BioRoot-RCS also had the highest immunomodulatory properties for cytokine production.