The Effect of Tumour Necrosis Factor-α on Periodontal Ligament Stem Cell Differentiation and the Related Signaling Pathways

Periodontal regeneration plays an integral role in the treatment of periodontal diseases, with important clinical significance for the preservation and functional recovery of affected teeth. Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), which were found in the periodontal ligament tissues possessing properties of pluripotency and self-renewing, could repair damaged periodontium with great promise. However, in a chronic inflammatory micro-environment, these cells suffered from reduced capacity to differentiate and regenerate. There has been a growing appreciation that tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in periodontal tissues drives cellular responses to chronic periodontitis. Several new advances, including an increased understanding of the mechanism of interaction between TNF-α and PDLSCs provides insight into inflamed cell regeneration, which in turn reveal strategies to improve the effectiveness of therapy. Here we gave a comprehensive review on the role of TNF-α in chronic periodontitis, its effect on PDLSCs differentiation and periodontal regeneration, related signaling pathways and concluded with future perspectives of research on PDLSCs-based periodontal tissue regeneration.