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. 2023 Nov 6;48(4):e39. doi: 10.5395/rde.2023.48.e39

Table 2. Main characteristics and effects of protocols on cell viability/cytotoxicity, morphology, and mineralization.

Author Experimental model Groups Bleaching gel protocol Additional protocol Period of analysis Methods for outcome assessment Main results
In vitro studies using enamel/dentin discs and MSCs
Dias et al. 2023 [62] 5.6 × 2.3 mm enamel/dentin discs, and MDPC-23 cells Negative control, PCP, 10% HP, 10% HP + PCP, 20% HP, 20% HP + PCP, 35% HP, 35% HP + PCP 10%, 20% and 35% HP for 45 min 10 μL of PCP (topically): before HP 4 h for cell viability, 1 h for cell morphology Cell viability: Alamar Blue and fluorescence; Cell morphology: SEM Coating enamel with PCP before the bleaching protocols minimized the cytotoxic effects and morphological changes caused by HP, independent of its concentration.
de Oliveira Ribeiro et al. 2022 [60] 5.6 × 2.3 mm enamel/dentin discs, and MDPC-23 cells Negative control, 35% HP, 10% HP, 10% HP + 2 mg/mL MnO2, 10% HP + 6 mg/mL MnO2, 10% HP + 10 mg/mL MnO2 10% HP for 45 min 20 μL of 10% HP mixed with 2-10 mg/mL MnO2 (topically): 45 min (3 applications of 15 min) 1 h Cell viability: MTT and live/dead Higher concentrations of MnO2 applied to the gel reduced cytotoxicity, especially 10 mg/mL of MnO2.
Ribeiro et al. 2022 [59] 5.6 × 2.3 mm bovine enamel/dentin discs, and MDPC-23 cells CG: untreated; G1: 35% HP; G2: 35% HP + 2 mg/mL MnO2; G3: 35% HP + 6 mg/mL MnO2; G4: 35% HP + 10 mg/mL MnO2 35% HP for 45 min (3 × 15 min) 2, 6, and 10 mg/mL of MnO2 incorporated into the bleaching gel: for 45 min (3 × 15 min) 1 h Cell viability: MTT; Cytotoxicity: live/dead assay; Cell morphology: SEM 6 and 10 mg/mL of MnO2 incorporated into the bleaching gel increased cell viability.
Ortecho-Zuta et al. 2019 [57] 5.6 × 2.3 mm enamel/dentin discs, and MDPC-23 cells Untreated, HP: 35% HP, 35% HP + HRP 35% HP for 45 min (3 applications of 15 min) 1 mL of 35% HP mixed with 10 mg of HRP (topically): for 45 min (3 applications of 15 min) 1 h Cell viability: MTT; cell morphology: SEM; cytotoxicity: live/dead assay HRP associated with HP increased cell viability compared to 35% HP alone, in addition to showing less impact on morphology.
Soares et al. 2019 [23] 5.6 ± 3.5 mm enamel/dentin discs, and MDPC-23 cells Untreated, HP: 35% HP, 35% HP + FS, 35% HP + MC, 35% HP + PR, 35% HP + CT 35% HP for 45 min (3 applications of 15 min) 40 mL of 35% HP mixed with 1 mg of FS, MC, PR, or CT (topically): for 45 min (3 applications of 15 min) 1 and 24 h Cell viability: MTT All chemically activated groups increased cell viability, mainly in the HP + PR group.
de Oliveira Duque et al. 2014 [45] 5.6 ± 3.5 mm enamel/dentin discs, HDPCs and MDPC-23 cells Untreated, 10% CP, 35% HP, 35% HP + FS 10% CP for 4 h, and 35% HP for 45 min (3 applications of 15 min) 0.004 g FS mixed with 35% HP (topically): 45 min (3 applications of 15 min) 1 h Cell viability: MTT Chemical activation of HP by FS had no significant protective effect against cytotoxicity, decreasing cell viability compared to CP.
Soares et al. 2013 [34] 5.6 × 3.5 mm enamel/dentin discs, and MDPC-23 cells Control: DW, 1 d 16% CP, 7 d 16% CP, 14 d 16% CP, 7 d 16% CP + 0,05% fluoride, 14 d 16% CP + 0.05% fluoride, 7 d 16% CP + 0.2% fluoride, 14 d 16% CP + 0.2% fluoride 16% CP for 8 h/d 0.05 % or 0.2% fluoride (topically): for 1 min after 16% CP 1, 7 and 14 d Cell viability: MTT; ALP activity: colorimetric endpoint assay; cell membrane damage: flow cytometry Fluoride solutions cannot prevent the toxic effects of a 16% CP bleaching applied on enamel, in addition to having no impact on ALP activity.
Lima et al. 2010 [47] 0.5 mm dentin discs and MDPC-23 cells Control: untreated, 10% sodium ascorbate, 10% CP, 10% sodium ascorbate + 10% CP, 16% CP, 10% sodium ascorbate + 16% CP 10% and 16% CP for 6 h Sodium ascorbate 10% (topically): for 6 h, before CP 6 h Cell viability: MTT; cell morphology: SEM 10% sodium ascorbate on the dentin discs before the use of the CP reduced the cytotoxic effects of these products on cells.
In vitro studies using MSCs
Huang et al. 2019 [56] HDPCs NC: negative control, HP (50, 150, 250, 350 μM), HP+NAC: HP (250 μM) + NAC (2.5 mM), HP+CsA: HP (250 μM) + CsA (2 μM), siRNA-CypD: CypD siRNA targeting human PPIF, siRNA-CypD+HP: CypD siRNA targeting human PPIF + HP (250 μM) 250 μM HP for 24 h NAC or CsA reagents for 24 h; CypD siRNA-PPIF for 24 h 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h for MTT, 24 h for the other analyses. Cell viability: MTT; measurement of cell death: FITC and TUNEL assays; intercellular ATP level: ATP detection kit; detection of Ca2+: fluorescence microscope NAC, CsA and CypD siRNA-PPIF were able to preserve the cell viability, mitigate cell death, decrease the intracellular Ca2+ and enhance the ATP level.
Kim et al. 2017 [54] HDPCs Control: untreated, 180 μM HP, HP + 50 μM IAA, HP + 100 μM IAA, HP + 150 μM IAA, HP + 200 μM IAA, HP + 250 μM IAA, HP + 300 μM IAA 180 μM HP for 24 h IAA: ranging from 1 to 300 μM 24 h Cell viability: MTS IAA treatment increased cell viability.
Kim et al. 2017 [55] HDPCs Control: untreated, HP: 300 µM HP, CA: 20 µM CA, CA + HP: 20 µM CA and then 300 µM HP, CoPP: 20 µM CoPP, CoPP+HP: 20 µM CoPP and then 300 µM HP 300 µM HP for 24 h 20 µM CA: for 24 h, before HP 24 h Cell viability: MTT; cytotoxicity: LDH activity assay Pre-treatment with CA effectively prevented HP-induced cell death.
Vargas et al. 2014 [53] MDPC-23 cells Negative control: DMEM + 5% DMSO, positive control: 0.018% HP, 1 mM α-T, 3 mM α-T, 5 mM α-T: 10 mM α-T, 1mM α-T + 0.018% HP, 3 mM α-T + 0.018% HP, G9: 5 mM α-T followed by 0.018% HP, G10: 10 mM α-T followed by 0.018% HP 0.018% HP for 30 min 1, 3, 5, or 10 mM α-T: for 60 min before HP 60 min Cell viability: MTT Pretreatment with vitamin E α-T isomer increased cell viability of MDPC-23 pulp cells, especially using 5 and 10 mM α-T.
Vargas et al. 2014 [52] MDPC-23 cells 1 mM α-T, 1 mM α-T + 0.018% HP, 3 mM α-T, 3 mM α-T + 0.018% HP, 5 mM α-T, 5 mM α-T +, 0.018% HP, 10 mM α-T, 10 mM α-T + 0.018% HP, negative control: DMEM + 5% DMSO, positive control: 0.018% HP 0.018 % HP for 30 min 1, 3, 5, or 10 mM α-T: for 1, 4, 8 and 24 h before HP 1, 4, 8 and 24 h Cell viability: MTT Vitamin E alpha-tocopherol isomer showed a protective effect against HP cytotoxicity, especially using 1 and 3 mM α-T for 24 h.
Jeong et al. 2010 [46] HDPCs 1 mM HP, HP + 5 μM sappanchalcone, HP + 10 μM sappanchalcone, HP + 20 μM sappanchalcone, HP + 40 μM sappanchalcone, HP + 40 μM sappanchalcone + 100 μM SnPP, 100 μM SnPP, HP + 20 μM CoPP, positive control: 20 μM 1 mM HP for 12 h 5–40 μM sappanchalcone: 12 h 12 h Cell viability: MTT Copp and 20 and 40 μM sappanchalcone reduced HP-induced cytotoxicity.
Lee et al. 2013 [24] HDPCs Control: untreated, 1mM HP, 1mM HP + 2.5 μM butein, 1mM HP + 5 μM butein, 1mM HP + 10 μM butein, 1mM HP + 20 μM butein, 1mM HP + 20 μM CoPP, 1mM HP+ 100 μM SnPP 1 mM HP for 12 h Butein, CoPP and SnPP: for 8 h or until 24 h 8 h Cell viability: MTT Butein inhibited HP-induced cytotoxicity.
Lee et al. 2013 [49] HDPCs HP+Ad/PPARγ: HP+Ad PPARγ, HP+Ad/LacZ: control, HP 150 μmol HP for 12 d Ad/PPARγ virus: a dose of 100 MOI for 24 h 12 d Cell viability: MTT; dentin mineralization: alizarin red stain and ALP activity assay. PPARγ in pulp cells increased cell viability, odontoblastic differentiation and dentin mineralization.
Lee et al. 2013 [50] HDPCs Control: untreated, HP: 500 µM HP, 500 µM HP + 5 µM sulfuretin, 500 µM HP + 10 µM sulfuretin, 500 µM HP + 20 µM sulfuretin, 500 µM HP + 40 µM sulfuretin, sulfuretin: 5-40 µM sulfuretin, HP+CoPP: 500 µM HP + 20 µM CoPP, positive control: 20 µM CoPP 500 µM HP for 12 h 5-40 µM sulfuretin: for 12 h, before HP 12 h Cell viability: MTT Pre-treatment with sulfuretin increased cell viability, presumably through HO-1 expression.
Lee et al. 2013 [51] HDPCs HP: 150 µM HP, 150 µM HP + 15 µM pachymic acid, 150 µM HP + 5 µM pachymic acid, untreated cells 150 µM HP for 1, 3, 5, 7 and 12 d 15 µM pachymic acid: before 1 h prior to incubation with HP 1, 3, 5, 7, and 12 d Cell viability: MTT; odontoblast differentiation level: ALP activity and alizarin red S staining Pachymic acid increased cell viability and mineralization.
Choi et al. 2012 [48] hDPSCs HP: 200 µM HP, 200 µM HP + 2 µM SOD1, 200 µM HP + 2 µM LMWP-SOD1, 2 µM SOD1, 2 µM LMWP-SOD1, untreated 200 µM HP for 2 h 2 µM LMWP-SOD1: for 3 h, before HP 3 and 28 d Cell viability: MTT; matrix mineralization: alizarin red S staining; expression of odontogenic markers: PCR LMWP-SOD1 did not influence cell viability and the calcified area. However, it reverses HP inhibition of osteogenic markers.

α-T, alpha-tocopherol; Ad, adenovirus; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; ATP, adenosine triphosphate; CA, cinnamaldehyde; CG, control group; CoPP, cobalt protoporphyrin; CP, carbamide peroxide; CsA, cyclosporine A; CT, catalase; DMEM, Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium; DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide; DW, deionized water; FITC, fluorescein isothiocyanate; FS, ferrous sulfate; G, group; HDPCs, human dental pulp cells; hDPSCs, human dental pulp stem cells; HO-1, heme oxygenase 1; HP, hydrogen peroxide; HRP, horseradish peroxidase; IAA, indole-3-acetic acid; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; LMWP, low-molecular weight protamine; MC, manganese chloride; MDPC-23, mouse dental papilla Cell-23; MnO2, manganese dioxide; MOI, multiplicity of infection; MSCs, mesenchymal stem cells; MTS, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium; MTT, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide; NAC, N-acetylcysteine; NC, negative control; PCP, polymeric catalyst primer; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; PPARγ, proliferator-activated receptor gamma; PPIF, peptidylprolyl isomerase F; PR, peroxidase; SEM, scanning electron microscopy; siRNA-CypD, cyclophilin D small interfering ribonucleic acid; SnPP, tin protoporphyrin; SOD1, superoxide dismutase 1; TUNEL, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling.