Figure 5.

Induction of osteogenic gene transcription in HUASMCs. Transcript levels for the osteogenic genes (A) Runx2, (B) ALP and (C) BSP were determined at 48 h by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and normalized to the level of GAPDH transcript. Values are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation (n=3). The expression of Runx2, ALP and BSP was significantly higher in co-culture groups treated with Pg-LPS (1 µg/ml) and calcification-inducing medium than in the control groups. ^*P<0.05 vs. HUASMCs (group C); ^#P<0.05. HUASMCs, human umbilical artery smooth muscle cells; PDLCs, periodontal ligament cells; Pg-LPS, Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; Runx2, core-binding factor α1; BSP, bone sialoprotein; OD, optical density.