title: Painful tooth stimulation elevates matrix metalloproteinase-8 levels locally in human gingival crevicular fluid.
abstract: Recent studies have demonstrated that pulpal pain can induce neurogenic inflammatory reactions in gingiva and the expression of pro-inflammatory neuropeptides in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). Neuropeptides co-ordinate the activity of immuno-effector cells and may influence the secretion of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8, the major tissue-destructive protease in GCF. With this background, we studied whether experimental pulpal pain can trigger changes in GCF MMP-8 levels. The molecular forms of MMP-8 in the GCF of stimulated and non-stimulated teeth were analyzed by Western immunoblot, and MMP-8 levels by quantitative immunofluorometric assay. Painful stimulation of the upper incisor provoked significant elevations in GCF MMP-8 levels of the stimulated tooth. Western immunoblot revealed elevations in both neutrophil- and mesenchymal-type MMP-8 isoforms. At the same time, the GCF MMP-8 levels of the non-stimulated teeth were not changed. Analysis of these data indicated that pulpal pain can induce local elevations in MMP-8 levels in GCF.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dentistry, PO Box 41, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: N-L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Avellan
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sorsa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tervahartiala
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mäntylä
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Forster
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kemppainen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000201:enzymology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor; D008297:Male; D020784:Matrix Metalloproteinase 8 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020078:Neurogenic Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014098:Toothache / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D020784:Matrix Metalloproteinase 8