Objective To study the effect of long non-coding ribonucleic acid taurine up-regulated gene 1(lncRNA TUG1) on dentin differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells(hDPSCs) by regulating the wingless-type MMTV integration site family/β-catenin (Wnt/β-catenin) pathway.

Methods HDPSCs were isolated and cultured in vitro, and divided into the blank control group, negative control group(siRNA-NC group), silent TUG1 expression group (TUG1-siRNA group) and combined group(TUG1-siRNA+ activation agent of Wnt/β-catenin pathway lithium chloride).The real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of TUG1;the proliferation ability of hDPSCs was detected by CCK-8;alizarin red staining method was used to to detect the differentiation effect of dentin, and the expression levels of dentin differentiation-related proteinshuman neuropilin 1 (NRP1), dentin matrix protein(DMP1), dentin sialoprotei(DSPP), Wnt and β-catenin proteins were detected by Western blotting.

Results Compared with the blank control group and siRNA-NC group, the proliferation inhibition rate of hDPSCs significantly increased, and the dark red calcified nodules forming ability and expression levels of NRP1, DSPP, DMP1, Wnt, and β-catenin protein significantly reduced in the TUG1-siRNA group(P < 0.05).Compared with the TUG1-siRNA group, the proliferation inhibition rate of hDPSCs significantly reduced, and the dark red calcified nodules forming ability and expression levels of NRP1, DSPP, DMP1, Wnt and β-catenin proteins significantly increased in the combined group(P < 0.05).

Conclusions Silencing lncRNA TUG1 may inhibit the proliferation of hDPSCs and dentin differentiation by inhibiting the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.