Sodium channel Nav1.8 immunoreactivity in painful human dental pulp.
BACKGROUND
The tetrodotoxin-resistant voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.8 (SNS1/PN3) is expressed by nociceptors and may play a role in pain states.


METHODS
Using specific antibodies for immunohistochemistry, we studied Nav1.8 immunoreactivity in human dental pulp in relation to the neuronal marker neurofilament. Human tooth pulp was extracted from teeth harvested from a total of twenty-two patients (fourteen without dental pain, eight patients with dental pain).


RESULTS
Fibres immunoreactive for Nav1.8, were significantly increased on image analysis in the painful group: median (range) Nav1.8 to Neurofilament % area ratio, non-painful 0.059 (0.006-0.24), painful 0.265 (0.13-0.5), P = 0.0019.


CONCLUSIONS
Nav1.8 sodium channels may thus represent a therapeutic target in trigeminal nerve pain states.
Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Dental Institute, Queen Mary's College, London University, Whitechapel, London, UK. t.f.renton@qmul.ac.uk
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Renton
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Yiangou
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Plumpton
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Tate
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Bountra
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Anand