Therapeutic potential of dental follicle-derived stem cells and gold nanoparticles on osteoarthritic temporomandibular joint in guinea pigs (randomized prospective study).

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complicated autoimmune disease that often causes invasive inflammatory infiltration and serious articular destruction. The global prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) is estimated to be around 30% of the population. Several clinical drugs have been reported to have adverse effects ranging from increased inflammation to liver cirrhosis. Even with the introduction of gene therapy, there is still a growing need for therapeutic alternatives for OA. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dental follicle-derived stem cells (DFSCs) versus gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) osteoarthritis induced by Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA). METHODS: In this study, for osteoarthritis induction, twice intra-articular injections of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) were performed, once at the beginning of the experiment and again after two weeks. After 4 weeks, the osteoarthritis animals were randomly allocated into three equal groups: osteoarthritis group, osteoarthritis group treated with Nanogold (AuNPs), and osteoarthritis group treated with Dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs). After one month, the TMJs were fixed and processed for staining with hematoxylin and eosin, and the disc thickness was assessed; results were statistically evaluated. RESULTS: The osteoarthritis group showed erosion of cartilage and subchondral bone and a thickened disc. Both DFSCs and AuNPs reduced the inflammatory signs. Though statistically non-significant, DFSCs showed a greater reduction in disc thickness. CONCLUSION: This study's results highlighted the potential use of DFSCs and AuNPs as a promising treatment in TMJ osteoarthritis.