Catechins inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor production and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in human dental pulp cells.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of catechins on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in human dental pulp cells (HDPC) stimulated with bacteria-derived factors or pro-inflammatory cytokines.


METHODS
Morphologically fibroblastic cells established from explant cultures of healthy human dental pulp tissues were used as HDPC. HDPC pre-treated with catechins, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) or epicatechin gallate (ECG), were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PG), interlukin-1β (IL-1β) or tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). VEGF production was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and COX-2 expression was assessed by immunoblot.


RESULTS
EGCG and ECG significantly reduced LPS- or PG-mediated VEGF production in the HDPC in a dose-dependent manner. EGCG also prevented IL-1β-mediated VEGF production. Although TNF-α did not enhance VEGF production in the dental pulp cells, treatment of 20 μg mL(-1) of EGCG decreased the level of VEGF. In addition, the catechins attenuated COX-2 expression induced by LPS and IL-1β.


CONCLUSIONS
The up-regulated VEGF and COX-2 expressions in the HDPC stimulated with these bacteria-derived factors or IL-1β were diminished by the treatment of EGCG and ECG. These findings suggest that the catechins may be beneficial as an anti-inflammatory tool of the treatment for pulpal inflammation.
Department of Conservative Dentistry, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
T
T
Nakanishi
K
K
Mukai
Y
Y
Hosokawa
D
D
Takegawa
T
T
Matsuo
D015153:Blotting, Western; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000166:cytology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000494:pharmacology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D002392:Catechin; C062669:epicatechin gallate; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate
catechin; cyclooxygenase-2; dental pulp; vascular endothelial growth factor