Ehsaneh Azaryan - Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.
Mohsen Naseri - Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Department of Molecular Medicine, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
Mohammad Yahya Hanafi-Bojd - Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical sciences, Birjand, Iran.
Mohammad Yahya Hanafi-Bojd - Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical nanotechnology. School of Pharmacy. Birjand University of Medical Siences. Birjand. Iran
Esmat Alemzadeh - Infectious Diseases Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
Fariba Emadian Razavi - Dental research center, Faculty of Dentistry, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) synthesized from Elaeagnus angustifolia (EA) extract in polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers (PCL/nHAEA) to odontogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and their potential applications for dentin tissue engineering.Methods: Electrospun nanocomposites containing of PCL blended with nHA (P/nHA) and nHAEA (P/nHAEA) were fabricated, and the characterization was evaluated via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and the contact angle. The morphology of nanofibers and the cell adhesion capacity of DPSCs on nanofibers were evaluated using SEM. Cytocompatibility was assessed by MTT. Osteo/odontogenic differentiation ability of the nanocomposites were assessed using alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, alizarin red S (ARS) staining, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique.Results: Viability and adhesion capacity of DPSCs were higher on P/nHAEA nanofibers than PCL and P/nHA nanofibers. ARS assay, ALP activity, and qPCR analysis findings confirmed that the nHAEA blended nanofibrous scaffolds substantially increased osteo/odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs.Conclusion: PCL/nHAEA nanocomposites had a noticeable effect on the odontogenic differentiation of DPSCs and may help to improve cell-based dentin regeneration therapies in the future.

Tissue engineering, Hydroxyapatite, Stem cell, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Dentin regeneration.