Effects of risedronate on the morphology and viability of gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Risedronate has been used for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal and corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis. The present study was performed to evaluate the effects of risedronate on the morphology and viability of human stem cells derived from the gingiva. Stem cells derived from the gingiva were grown in the presence of risedronate at concentrations that ranged from 1 to 10 µM. The morphology of the cells was viewed under an inverted microscope, and cell proliferation was analyzed with a cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) on days 2, 4 and 7. The untreated control group showed a spindle-shaped, fibroblast-like morphology. The shapes of the cells treated with 1 and 5 µM risedronate were similar to that of the control group on day 2. However, morphology of the 10 µM group markedly differed from that of the control group. The shapes of the cells in the 1, 5 and 10 µM groups were rounder, and pronounced alterations when compared with the untreated control group were noted in all groups on day 7. The cultures growing in the presence of risedronate showed decreased CCK-8 values on day 7. In conclusion, risedronate produced notable alterations in the morphology of the cells and reduced the viability of gingival mesenchymal stem cells.