Sex hormone receptor status of the dental pulp and lesions of pulpal origin.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine whether the dental pulp and lesions of pulpal origin (eg, pulp polyps, periapical granulomas, and periapical cysts) exhibit receptors for the sex steroid hormones estrogen, progesterone, and androgen.


METHODS
Staining for the receptors of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and androgen was accomplished through use of available immunohistochemical detection techniques. Pulpal tissues were obtained from freshly extracted human third molars; the other tissues were obtained from the Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Laboratory archives. Ten samples of each tissue were processed and immunostained for these specific receptors.


RESULTS
Staining for estrogen and androgen receptors was essentially negative for all cell populations examined. However, positive progesterone receptor staining of varying degrees was noted in 8 of 10 pulpal specimens. Primarily, pulpal fibroblasts and odontoblasts exhibited positive immunoreactivity.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that although the dental pulp may be a potential target tissue for progesterone, evidence is lacking with respect to the other sex steroid hormones.
Department of Endodontics, School of Dentistry, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912-1244, USA.
S B
SB
Whitaker
B B
BB
Singh
R N
RN
Weller
K R
KR
Bath
R J
RJ
Loushine
D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000737:chemistry*; D003788:Dental Pulp Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D010483:Periapical Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000032:analysis*
D003188:Composite Resins; D003764:Dental Materials; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D011944:Receptors, Androgen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011987:Receptors, Steroid