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Russell bodies in dental pulp of permanent human teeth.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to characterize the prevalence of Russell bodies in specimens clinically diagnosed as pulpitis. STUDY DESIGN: Forty-five teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis were extracted, fixed, and demineralized. Five nonsymptomatic human teeth extracted for orthodontic purposes were used as controls. All teeth were then processed for light microscopy, for which they were stained variously, or for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). RESULTS: There was no evidence of Russell bodies in the pulp of 5 nonsymptomatic human teeth. Russell bodies, however, were detected in 31/45 (69%) of pulpitis specimens examined by light microscopy. The basic stains safranin and fucsin gave better visualisation of them than other staining procedures. All pulpitis specimens were histologically characterized as having the features of chronic inflammation. Of 5 specimens of pulpitis teeth evaluated by TEM, all exhibited Russell bodies. There was no morphological distinction among the Russell bodies when view either by light or electron microscopy. These structures appeared either within rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) or they were found in extracellular stroma, suggesting their association with the lysis of cells. CONCLUSIONS: Russell bodies are prevalent in pulpitis samples with histological features of chronic inflammation, but are not found in all such samples. Russell bodies may not have been frequently detected in the past due to the types of stains employed in histolopathological study of pulps. The mechanistic basis of the association of Russell bodies with the symptoms of irreversible pulpitis is not clear.

Coloring Agents↗

Alkaline phosphatase activity in normal and inflamed dental pulps.

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) seems to be important in the formation of mineralized tissues. High levels of ALP have been demonstrated in dental pulp cells. In the present study ALP activity was analyzed in normal healthy human dental pulps, in reversible pulpitis, and in irreversible pulpitis. Enzymatic ALP control values for the normal healthy pulps were 110.96+/-20.93. In the reversible pulpitis specimens the ALP activity increased almost eight times to 853.6+/-148.27. In the irreversible pulpitis specimens the values decreased sharply to 137.15+/-21.28 and were roughly equivalent to those seen in normal healthy pulps. The differences between the groups (control vs. reversible pulpitis and reversible pulpitis vs. irreversible pulpitis) were statistically significant. These results could point to a role of ALP in the initial pulp response after injury.

Acute Disease↗

Aspartate aminotransferase activity in human healthy and inflamed dental pulps.

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) seems to be an important mediator of inflammatory processes. Its role in the progression and detection of inflammatory periodontal disease has been increasingly recognized in recent years. In the present study AST activity was analyzed in normal healthy human dental pulps, in reversible pulpitis, and in irreversible pulpitis. Enzymatic AST activity showed that the control values for the healthy pulps were 4.8 +/- 0.7 units/mg of pulp tissue. In reversible pulpitis specimens the AST activity increased to 7.98 +/- 2.1 units/mg of pulp tissue. In irreversible pulpitis specimens the values decreased to 2.28 +/- 1.7 units/mg of pulp tissue. Differences between the groups (control versus reversible pulpitis and reversible pulpitis versus irreversible pulpitis) were statistically significant (p = 0.0015). These results could point to a role of AST in the early events that lead to development of pulpal inflammation.

Acute Disease↗

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in healthy and inflamed human dental pulps.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a glycoprotein that has the capability to increase vascular proliferation and permeability. VEGF has been found to be expressed in several different types of tumors, and it may contribute to the progression of malignant tumors. Immunostaining for VEGF and factor VIII was performed in normal healthy pulps and in irreversible pulpitis. In both cases the vessels were always positive for VEGF. Our immunohistochemical data show that the expression of VEGF was strongly positive in the inflammatory infiltrate in irreversible pulpitis. VEGF expression in the stromal cells in healthy pulps ranged from 20 to 100% (with a mean of 68.82), and in irreversible pulpitis ranged from 0 to 100% (with a mean of 62.35%); this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.05). This down-regulation in the stromal cells in irreversible pulpitis could be due to the presence, in a low compliance system such as the dental pulp, of inflammatory infiltrate. VEGF is probably a factor implicated in the etiology and progression of pulpitis. The microvessel density in healthy pulps was 90.00 +/- 27.5, while, in irreversible pulpitis, it was 56.68 +/- 21.15. This difference was statistically significant (p = 0.001). The decrease in microvessel density in irreversible pulpitis could be related to failing vascular function and blood flow decrease.

Adolescent↗