A Comparative Evaluation of Concentrated Growth Factor and Platelet-rich Fibrin on the Proliferation, Migration, and Differentiation of Human Stem Cells of the Apical Papilla

Introduction: Concentrated growth factor (CGF) is considered to be a natural biomaterial that is better than platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) in bone regeneration, but there is little information acquired in regenerative endodontics. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate their effects on the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of human stem cells of the apical papilla (SCAPs). Methods: CGF- and PRF-conditioned medium were prepared using the freeze-dried method. SCAPs were isolated and identified. The proliferative potential of SCAPs was investigated using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (KeyGen Biotech, Nanjing, China). The migration capacity was analyzed using transwell assays, and the mineralization ability was determined by alizarin red S staining. The expression levels of alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein, dentin matrix protein 1, and dentin sialophosphoprotein were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: The cultured cells exhibited mesenchymal stem cell characteristics. The growth rate and migratory cell numbers of the CGF and PRF groups were significantly greater than those of the control group. The mineralized areas in the CGF and PRF groups were significantly larger than those in the control group after incubation for 7 days and 14 days. The expression levels of osteogenic/odontoblast-related genes were reduced on day 7, but they were dramatically enhanced on day 14, and the related gene expression levels in the PRF group were higher than those in the CGF group. Conclusions: Both CGF and PRF can promote the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of SCAPs. CGF may be a promising alternative in regenerative endodontics.