title: Immunohistochemical study on the immunocompetent cells of the pulp in human non-carious and carious teeth.
abstract: The condition of the pulp tissue was classified into seven groups according to the depth of carious lesions from stage (S) 0 (non-carious teeth) to S6 (exposed pulp). A substantial change in the infiltration of immunocompetent cells occurred between S3 and S4; all types were markedly increased in S4 as compared to S3, with a remarkable increase in the number of helper T lymphocytes, B-lineage cells, neutrophils and macrophages. Therefore, the pulpal immune reaction to carious stimuli could be classified into early (S1-S3) and advanced phases (S4-S6). In the early phase a cellular immunoresponse would be induced by T-lineage cells, and in the advanced phase the humoral immunoresponse is furthered by B-lineage cells concomitant with the destruction of pulp tissue by proteolytic enzymes released from infiltrating neutrophils and macrophages. Human dental pulp is thus equipped with a functional immune response that is sufficient as a biodefensive mechanism. Dental caries should be treated before S4.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Conservative Dentistry, Fukuoka Dental College, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D003789:Dental Pulp Exposure / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils; D011671:Pulpitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer