Carbon Nanotubes Induce Mineralization of Human Cementoblasts.

Introduction: Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are 1 of the allotropes of carbon with unique properties. CNT shows good bone-tissue compatibility and has been reported to induce osteogenesis; therefore, it is regarded as an ideal material in a wide range of applications. However, the therapeutic effect of CNT-containing materials in the healing of apical periodontal tissue is unknown.

Role of MAPKs in TGF-β1-induced maturation and mineralization in human osteoblast-like cells.

Objectives: Our study aimed to clarify the role of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-stimulated mineralization in the human osteoblast-like MG63 cells.

Methods: The viability of MG63 cells under TGF-β1 stimulation was assessed by MTS assay. Western blotting determined TGF-β1-mediated activation of extracellular signal-related protein kinase (ERK), p38, and c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK).

Influence of IgA nephropathy on the progression of pulpitis and apical periodontitis in HIGA mice.

Objectives: Immunoglobulin (Ig)A nephropathy has been associated with oral infections such as periodontitis, but its pathogenesis is not fully understood; no treatments exist. This study analyzes the influence of IgA nephropathy, an autoimmune disease, on the pathogenesis of pulpitis and apical periodontitis.

Methods: Two groups of mice were used in pulp infection experiments: high serum IgA nephropathy model mice (HIGA) and control mice (BALB/c).

Identification of Candidate Genes of Familial Multiple Idiopathic Cervical Root Resorption.

Introduction: Multiple idiopathic cervical root resorption (MICRR) is a disease with an unknown etiology that causes invasive cervical root resorption in multiple teeth. Although previous MICRR genomic studies have identified candidate gene variants, the etiology of the condition remains poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the genetic causality of MICRR to explore candidate variants.

Effects of Rheumatoid Arthritis on the Progression of Pulpitis and Apical Periodontitis in SKG Mice.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that involves joint inflammation. Although periodontal disease reportedly contributes to RA onset, the associations of RA with pulpitis and apical periodontitis have not been described. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of immune response disruption of RA for pulpitis and apical periodontitis with SKG mice.

Effect of periodontitis induced by Fusobacterium nucleatum on the microbiota of the gut and surrounding organs.

Detection of the oral bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum in colorectal cancer tissues suggests that periodontitis may alter gut microbiota. The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence and infection route of periodontal inflammation caused by F. nucleatum, and microbiota of the gut and surrounding organs (heart, liver, kidney).

BMP-1-induced GBA1 nuclear accumulation provokes CCN2 mRNA expression via importin-β-mediated nucleocytoplasmic pathway.

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-1 is expressed by odontoblasts in the dentin-pulp complex. Although the functional effects of BMP-1 on the maturation of various preforms of proteins and enzymes involved in initiating mineralization have been widely observed, how BMP-1 affects cellular molecules remains unknown. We performed a comprehensive analysis of BMP-1-altered glycome profiles and subsequent assays to identify the target glycoproteins in human dental pulp cells (hDPCs) by a glycomic approach.

Effect of the Progression of Fusobacterium nucleatum-induced Apical Periodontitis on the Gut Microbiota.

Introduction: Fusobacterium nucleatum, which is involved in the development of periodontal disease and apical lesions, can be transmitted to the colon and metastasize to colorectal cancer, suggesting a link between oral and systemic diseases. We analyzed the effects of F. nucleatum on bacterial flora in the gut and surrounding organs in a rat model of apical periodontitis and analyzed the infection route to the gut and distant organs.

The effect of mineral trioxide aggregate on dental pulp healing in the infected pulp by direct pulp capping.

This study aimed to clarify the effect of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) on pulp healing in the infected pulp by direct pulp capping (DPC). Thirty-six male ICR mice were divided into infected and uninfected groups. The pulp tissue was exposed to the oral flora for 24 h after pulp exposure in the infected group, or not exposed in the uninfected group, followed by sealing with MTA, calcium hydroxide cement (CH), or no DPC.

Biosynthesized selenium nanoparticles: characterization, antimicrobial, and antibiofilm activity against .

Background: Control over microbial growth is a crucial factor in determining the success of endodontic therapy. is the most resistant biofilm-forming species leading to endodontic failure. Hence, the current researches are directed towards discovering materials with superior disinfection properties and lesser cytotoxicity.

Bactericidal Effect of a Novel Alkaline EDTA Root Canal Cleaning Solution.

Objectives:  In this study, we aimed to evaluate the bactericidal effect and cytotoxicity of an ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA)-based root canal irrigant solution capable of efficiently removing both the organic matter and the smear layer. We prepared a strong alkaline EDTA (AE) solution with an acid buffer capacity similar to that of sodium hypochlorite.

Materials And Methods:  AE was used at concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3%.

The Effect of Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 on the Mineralization of Human Cementoblasts.

Introduction: Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) plays an important role in bone mineralization and has been reported to promote osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. However, there is no report about the effects of TGF-β1 on human cementoblasts. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of TGF-β1 on the proliferation and differentiation of the human cementoblast cell line (HCEM) in vitro.

Effects of different light sources used for dental operating microscope illumination on the visual function of operators.

Objectives: Advances in dental operative microscopes (DOMs) enable examination of root canal morphology or detection of root fractures otherwise not visible to the naked eye. However, dental therapy involving prolonged use of DOMs requires precision within a limited visual field, resulting in eye strain among users. This study examined the effects of halogen and light-emitting diode (LED) light sources on asthenopia and visual function following use of DOMs.

Effect of salivary secretion with mouthguard use on seasonal allergic rhinitis symptom improvement.

Objectives: It was shown that mucosal immunity via salivary IgA may be related to the improvement of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) symptoms, and improvement of SAR symptoms through saliva flow increase has been reported in patients using mouthguard (MG) in dental treatment. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of MG use on SAR symptom improvement and to clarify the role of saliva on SAR symptom development.

Methods: We recruited patients from the Kanagawa Dental University Hospital including 38 and 8 patients with SAR and non-SAR symptoms during two seasons from March 2017 to April 2018.

Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Prevents Development of Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw-Like Pathophysiology in a Rat Model.

We developed a rat model of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) by removing a maxillary molar tooth (M1) from ovariectomized rats after treatment with alendronate. To mimic periodontitis, some of the rats were administered Porphyromonas gingivalis (p. gingivalis) at the M1 site every 2 to 3 d for 2 wk.

Delayed diagnosis of odontogenic infection: a lesson from altered mental status and abnormal breathing.

Altered mental status is a common, yet challenging, clinical presentation encountered by physicians. Here, we report a case of a 68-year-old Japanese female who was transferred to the emergency department due to faint. The laboratory results showed hyponatremia, ketonuria, hyperglycemia and acute kidney injury without fever or inflammatory findings.

Cell Biological Assays for Measuring Odontogenic Activities of CCN Proteins.

In postnatal dentin formation, odontoblast differentiation occurs in the pulp tissue regenerative process under pathological condition. Odontoblasts and newly differentiated odontoblast-like cells beneath the caries lesion form tertiary dentin and are highly odontogenic. To observe the activity of dentinogenesis occur within the hard tissue, a combination of immunohistological analysis and immunodetection of dentinogenesis specific molecules, such as dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) and/or its cleaved products dentin sialoprotein (DSP) and dentin phosphoprotein (DPP), is a reliable approach.

Evaluation of the biocompatibility of resin-based root canal sealers in rat periapical tissue.

We evaluated the biocompatibility of resin-based root canal sealers (RCSs) in the periapical tissues of rats. Wistar rats underwent tooth replantation for reproducing the response of periapical tissue with RCSs. The resin-based Epipany SE, AH Plus Jet, the eugenol-based sealer (Canals) and a control group were employed.

Peptidoglycan of Actinomyces naeslundii induces inflammatory cytokine production and stimulates osteoclastogenesis in alveolar bone resorption.

Objective: Actinomyces naeslundii, plays an important role in forming dental biofilms and causes gingival inflammation. Although peptidoglycan, the major cell wall component of Gram-positive bacteria, has been demonstrated to induce inflammatory cytokines, little is known about the association of peptidoglycan with alveolar bone resorption. This study investigated the involvement of peptidoglycan from A.

Responses of BrdU label-retaining dental pulp cells to allogenic tooth transplantation into mouse maxilla.

Recently, we demonstrated that a pulse of BrdU given to prenatal animals reveals the existence of slow-cycling long-term label-retaining cells (LRCs), putative adult stem or progenitor cells, which reside in the dental pulp. This study aims to clarify responses of LRCs to allogenic tooth transplantation into mouse maxilla using prenatal BrdU-labeling, in situ hybridization for osteopontin and periostin, and immunohistochemistry for BrdU, nestin, and osteopontin. The upper-right first molars were allografted in the original socket between BrdU-labeled and non-labeled mice or between GFP transgenic and wild-type mice.

Wnt5a plays a crucial role in determining tooth size during murine tooth development.

We have previously demonstrated that tooth size is determined by dental mesenchymal factors. Exogenous bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)4, Noggin, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)3 and FGF10 have no effect on tooth size, despite the expressions of Bmp2, Bmp4, Fgf3, Fgf10 and Lef1 in the dental mesenchyme. Among the wingless (Wnt) genes that are differentially expressed during tooth development, only Wnt5a is expressed in the dental mesenchyme.

A biocompatible model for evaluation of the responses of rat periapical tissue to a new zinc oxide-eugenol sealer.

We aimed to establish an experimental animal model to evaluate materials for endodontic therapy. We focused on the biocompatibility of new paste-type zinc oxide-eugenol (ZOE) sealer. The results of this sealer were compared with those of conventional powder/liquid ZOE and eugenol-free sealers.

Expression of Toll-like receptor 2 and 4 in inflamed pulp in severe combined immunodeficiency mice.

Introduction: Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are important receptors mediating innate immune responses because they detect factors released from bacterial cell wall components during inflammatory reactions. However, the role of TLRs in dental pulp, which is bounded by hard tissues, is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the innate immune system and the defense of pulp tissue by using immunodeficient mice that lack an adaptive immune response

Methods: Mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) were used as a model because they lack an adaptive immune response.

Expression of toll-like receptor 2 and 4 in dental pulp.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are important factors in innate immune responses because they mediate signals from bacterial cell wall components during inflammatory reactions. However, the role of TLR in dental pulp, which is bounded by hard tissues, is little understood. The present study investigated the expression of TLR-2 and TLR-4 in experimentally inflamed pulp by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry.

Expression of bone extracellular matrix proteins on osteoblast cells in the presence of mineral trioxide.

The biocompatibility of periapical tissue with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) affects its ability to repair and regenerate itself. Here we report the cytotoxicity of MTA and how it affects the expression of bone extracellular matrix protein in MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells. We quantified the cytotoxicity of MTA, amalgam, and Dycal (Dentsply/Caulk, Milford, DE) on MC3T3-E1 cells by measuring the ability of cells to cleave a tetrazolium salt to produce formazan dye during a period of 24, 48, or 96 hours.