Role of intracellular Ca2+–based mechanotransduction of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts

Human periodontal ligament (hPDL) fibroblasts are thought to receive mechanical stress (MS) produced by orthodontic tooth movement, thereby regulating alveolar bone remodeling. However, the role of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i)-based mechanotransduction is not fully understood. We explored the MS-induced [Ca2+]i responses both in isolated hPDL fibroblasts and in intact hPDL tissue and investigated its possible role in alveolar bone remodeling. hPDL fibroblasts were obtained from healthy donors’ premolars that had been extracted for orthodontic reasons. The oscillatory [Ca2+]i activity induced by static compressive force was measured by a live-cell Ca2+ imaging system and evaluated by several feature extraction method. The spatial pattern of cell-cell communication was investigated by Moran’s I, an index of spatial autocorrelation and the gap junction (GJ) inhibitor. The Ca2+-transporting ionophore A23187 was used to further investigate the role of [Ca2+]i up-regulation in hPDL cell behavior. hPDL fibrob...