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Class II Antigen-presenting Dendritic Cell and Nerve Fiber Responses to Cavities, Caries, or Caries Treatment in Human TeethDivision of Cariology, Department of Oral Health Science, Course for Oral Life Science, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, 5274, Gakkocho-dori 2-bancho, Niigata 951-8514, Japan; Correspondence: *corresponding author, yoshiba{at}dent.niigata-u.ac.jp Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecule-expressing cells are distributed in human dental pulp, and have been shown to accumulate beneath caries lesions. The responses of these cells and nerve fibers were analyzed under 5 different clinical conditions: shallow and deep experimental cavities, active and slow untreated caries, and treated caries. Under deep cavities, class II molecule-expressing dendritic cells displaced the injured odontoblasts during a period of one month, while such a response was not observed in shallow cavities and untreated or treated carious teeth. The class II molecules seen in the neural elements under active caries were no longer detectable in treated carious teeth. However, six months after treatment, clusters consisting of dendritic cells, T-lymphocytes, and nerve fibers still remained locally in the subodontoblastic area. These results indicate that dental pulps respond differently to cavity preparation and restoration between normal and caries conditions, and that immunoresponses persist for many months, even after caries treatment.
Key Words: human dental pulp • MHC class II molecule-expressing cells • caries treatment • cavity preparation • adhesive system
Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 82, No. 6,
422-427 (2003) This article has been cited by other articles:
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