Pulp exposure often leads to
pulp necrosis, root fractures, and ultimate
tooth loss. The repair of the exposure site with
pulp capping treatment is of great significance to preserving pulp vitality, but its efficacy is impaired by the low bioactivity of capping materials and cell
injuries from the local accumulation of oxidative stress. This study develops a Wnt3a-loaded
hydroxyapatite nanowire@mesoporous
silica (Wnt3a-HANW@MpSi) core-shell nanocomposite for
pulp capping treatments. The ultralong and highly flexible
hydroxyapatite nanowires provide the framework for the composites, and the mesoporous
silica shell endows the composite with the capacity of efficiently loading/releasing Wnt3a and Si
ions. Under in vitro investigation, Wnt3a-HANW@MpSi not only promotes the oxidative stress resistance of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), enhances their migration and odontogenic differentiation, but also exhibits superior properties of angiogenesis in vitro. Revealed by the transcriptome analysis, the underlying mechanisms of odontogenic enhancement by Wnt3a-HANW@MpSi are closely related to multiple biological processes and signaling pathways toward pulp/dentin regeneration. Furthermore, an animal model of subcutaneous
transplantation demonstrates the significant reinforcement of the formation of dentin-pulp complex-like tissues and blood vessels by Wnt3a-HANW@MpSi in vivo. These results indicate the promising potential of Wnt3a-HANW@MpSi in treatments of
dental pulp exposure.