Search

Objectives To investigate how scaling affects the penetration of microorganisms into dentinal tubules, how pulpal cells seeded into the pulp cavity respond to bacterial challenge, and how penetration and inflammatory response may depend on the bacterial composition. Materials and methods Root canals of 102 extracted human teeth underwent shaping and cleaning. Half of the teeth were subjected to scaling and root planing, the other half remained untreated. Teeth were exposed to either Streptococcus gordonii and Actinomyces oris or S. gordonii and Porphyromonas gingivalis for 10 weeks. Bacterial invasion was assessed in a depth of 1 mm to the root surface. Human pulpal cells were seeded into the cavities to assess the expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunoassay. Results The percentage of teeth with bacteria detected in dentine was higher when teeth received scaling than when they were untreated: 66.6% versus 44.4% when exposed to A. oris/S. gordonii, and 50% versus 25% when exposed to P. gingivalis/S. gordonii (p = 0.043). Scaling had no impact on IL-8 and MMP-3 expression in pulpal cells. P. gingivalis/S. gordonii caused higher levels of IL-8, MCP-1, and MMP-3 than A. oris/S. gordonii (p = 0.003, p = 0.011, p = 0.037). Conclusion Scaling supports the penetration of bacteria into the dentine of extracted human teeth. P. gingivalis may affect the immune response in pulpal cells. Clinical relevance Root surface debridement with hand instruments may facilitate bacterial penetration. Other kinds of mechanical instrumentation in this experimental setting should be investigated.

OBJECTIVES Artificial saliva is widely used to overcome reduced natural salivary flow. Natural saliva provokes the expression of chemokines in oral fibroblasts in vitro. However, if artificial saliva changes the expression of chemokines remains unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS Here, we investigated the ability of Saliva Orthana®, Aldiamed®, Glandosane®, and Saliva Natura® to change the expression of chemokines in human oral fibroblasts and the human oral epithelial cell line HSC-2 by means of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunoassays. Mucins isolated from bovine submaxillary glands and recombinant human mucin 1 were included in the bioassay. Formazan formation and LIVE/DEAD® staining determined the impact of artificial saliva on cell viability. The involvement of signaling pathways was determined by pharmacologic inhibitors and Western blotting. RESULTS In gingival fibroblasts, Saliva Orthana®-containing mucins provoked a significantly increased expression of CXC ligand 8 (CXCL8, or interleukin 8), CXCL1, and CXCL2. Immunoassays for CXCL8 and CXCL1 confirmed the translation at the protein level. The respective dilution of artificial saliva had no impact on formazan formation and LIVE/DEAD® staining. Mucins isolated from bovine submaxillary glands also increased the panel of chemokine expression in gingival fibroblasts. BAY 11-7082, a nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) inhibitor, but also TAK-242, an inhibitor of toll-like receptor 4 signaling, blocked chemokine expression of Saliva Orthana® and bovine mucins. In HSC-2 cells, Glandosane® significantly increased CXCL8 expression. CONCLUSIONS Saliva Orthana® stimulated chemokine expression in gingival fibroblasts. Mammalian mucins, but also possible contaminations with endotoxins, might contribute to the respective changes in gene expression. Epithelial cells have a differential response to artificial saliva with Glandosane® changing CXCL8 expression. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Artificial saliva can incite a cellular response, if however the changing expression of chemokines by isolated fibroblasts and epithelial cells in vitro translates into a clinical condition, is not clear.