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Journal of Dental Research
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Biological

TNF-{alpha} Promotes an Odontoblastic Phenotype in Dental Pulp Cells

F.W.G. Paula-Silva1,2, A. Ghosh1, L.A.B. Silva2 and Y.L. Kapila1,*

1 Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, 1011 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078, USA; and
2 Department of Pediatric Clinics, Preventive and Social Dentistry, School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

Correspondence: ykapila{at}umich.edu

Dental pulp cells can differentiate toward an odontoblastic phenotype to produce reparative dentin beneath caries lesions. However, the mechanisms involved in pulp cell differentiation under pro-inflammatory stimuli have not been well-explored. Thus, we hypothesized that the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-{alpha} (TNF-{alpha}) could be a mediator involved in dental pulp cell differentiation toward an odontoblastic phenotype. We observed that TNF-{alpha}-challenged pulp cells exhibited increased mineralization and early and increased expression of dentin phosphoprotein (DPP), dentin sialoprotein (DSP), dentin matrix protein-1, and osteocalcin during a phase of reduced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression. We investigated whether these events were related and found that p38, a mitogen-activated protein kinase, differentially regulated MMP-1 and DSP/DPP expression and mediated mineralization upon TNF-{alpha} treatment. These findings indicate that TNF-{alpha} stimulates differentiation of dental pulp cells toward an odontoblastic phenotype via p38, while negatively regulating MMP-1 expression.

Key Words: dental pulp cells • tumor necrosis factor-{alpha} • dentin sialophosphoprotein • matrix metalloproteinase-1 • p38 MAPK

Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 88, No. 4, 339-344 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0022034509334070
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