Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic resource for the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS) that is attributable to their capacity for neuronal differentiation. Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs), which exhibit MSC-like traits, can differentiate into neuron-like cells and secrete critical neurotrophic factors; however, their therapeutic potential in peripheral nerve injury remains unexplored. This study investigated the regenerative effects of hDPSC transplantation following sciatic nerve injury (SNI) in rats. Transplantation of hDPSCs, STRO-1+ hDPSCs, or CD146+ hDPSCs after sciatic nerve transection in rats upregulated the levels of β3 tubulin, a marker of immature newborn neurons. Furthermore, the levels of glial cellderived neurotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor 2, and the neuroregenerative factor NeuroD1 were upregulated. Motor dysfunction in rats with SNI was restored, as demonstrated by significantly higher sciatic functional index scores compared with the sciatic nerve transection group without transplantation. Transplantation of hDPSCs into injured peripheral nerves results in the upregulation of neurotrophic factors, differentiation into immature neurons, and promotion of motor function recovery. This approach holds promise as a valuable therapeutic strategy for repairing injured peripheral sciatic nerves, potentially providing a solution for nerve damage in both the PNS and CNS.

Introduction
Materials and Methods
    1. Isolation and culture of hDPSCs and mESCs
    2. Flow cytometry assay
    3. FACS of hDPSCs
    4. Animal model of sciatic nerve injury
    5. Cell transplantation
    6. Tissue harvest and immunohistochemistry
    7. Walking track analysis for footprints
    8. Western blot analysis
    9. Statistical analysis
Results
    1. Characterization of isolated hDPSCs population fortransplantation
    2. Histological identification of NTFs after hDPSCstransplantation in SNI rats
    3. Upregulation of NTFs after hDPSCs transplantationin SNI rats
    4. Improvement of motor dysfunction after hDPSCstransplantation in SNI rats
Discussion
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
Supplementary Data
References

• Kyung-Joo Seong(Dental Science Research Institute, Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea)
• Won-Jae Kim(Dental Science Research Institute, Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea)
• Hyun-Woo Chung(Dental Science Research Institute, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea)
• Hee-Kyun Oh(Dental Science Research Institute, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea)
• Hong-Ju Park(Dental Science Research Institute, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea) Corresponding author
• Ji-Yeon Jung(Dental Science Research Institute, Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Republic of Korea) Corresponding author