title: Increased expression of EphA7 in inflamed human dental pulp.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulpitis has been associated with abundant inflammatory cells, dilated blood vessels, and thickening nerve fibers histopathologically with or without severe pain clinically. On the basis of EphA7 receptor expression in inflammatory cells, the developing mouse dental pulp, and trigeminal nerve system, EphA7 may possibly be involved in local inflammatory response and sensory innervation of adult dental pulp as well as odontogenic pain conducted through the trigeminal system. The purpose of the study was to analyze the expression of EphA7 gene in healthy and inflamed human dental pulps and to elucidate the roles of EphA7 gene in dental pulp inflammation response and odontogenic pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve healthy controls, 5 acute pulpitis from dental trauma, 21 symptomatic, and 20 asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis human dental pulps were involved in the study. The protein expression, subcellular localization, and mRNA level of EphA7 gene were detected by immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In healthy samples, immunohistochemical staining showed positive EphA7 expression only in vascular endothelial cells and odontoblasts with cytoplasm staining. Under inflammatory conditions, in addition to the above cells, EphA7 staining began to occur in fibroblasts, nerve fiber tissues, and inflammatory cells. Compared with healthy samples, EphA7 expressions at both mRNA and protein levels increased significantly in acute and irreversible pulpitis samples. In asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis samples, EphA7 expressions were significantly lower than those in symptomatic ones but still higher than those in healthy ones. There was no significant difference between acute and symptomatic irreversible pulpitis groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that EphA7 gene may be a marker reflecting inflammatory activity and pain state for human dental pulp.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, Institute and Hospital of Stomatology, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, PR China.
authors: Yingchun
authors: Y
authors: Dong
authors: Weidong
authors: W
authors: Lan
authors: Weimei
authors: W
authors: Wu
authors: Zheng
authors: Z
authors: Huang
authors: Junjie
authors: J
authors: Zhao
authors: Libo
authors: L
authors: Peng
authors: Jiandong
authors: J
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology; D003789:Dental Pulp Exposure / Q000473:pathology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D009804:Odontoblasts / Q000473:pathology; D011671:Pulpitis / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D036141:Receptor, EphA7 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000473:pathology; D014082:Tooth Fractures / Q000473:pathology; D014098:Toothache / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D036141:Receptor, EphA7