title: Proteomic analysis of human tooth pulp: proteomics of human tooth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The unique pulp-dentin complex demonstrates strong regenerative potential, which enables it to respond to disease and traumatic injury. Identifying the proteins of the pulp-dentin complex is crucial to understanding the mechanisms of regeneration, tissue calcification, defense processes, and the reparation of dentin by dental pulp. The lack of knowledge of these proteins limits the development of more efficient therapies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The proteomic profile of human tooth pulp was investigated and compared with the proteome of human dentin and blood. The samples of tooth pulp were obtained from 5 sound permanent human third molars of 5 adults (n = 5). The extracted proteins were separated by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis, analyzed by nano-liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, and identified by correlating mass spectra to the proteomic databases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 342 proteins were identified with high confidence, and 2 proteins were detected for the first time in an actual human sample. The identified tooth pulp proteins have a variety of functions: structural, catalytic, transporter, protease activity, immune response, and many others. In a comparison with dentin and blood plasma, 140 (pulp/dentin) shared proteins were identified, 37 of which were not observed in plasma. It can be suggested that they might participate in the unique pulp-dentin complex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This proteomic investigation of human tooth pulp, together with the previously published study of human dentin, is one of the most comprehensive proteome lists of human teeth to date.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eckhardt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic. Electronic address: jagr@biomed.cas.cz.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jágr
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Statis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pataridis
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mikšík
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000737:chemistry*; D003804:Dentin / Q000737:chemistry*; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007162:Immunoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D036103:Nanotechnology; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis* / Q000145:classification; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001798:Blood Proteins; D007162:Immunoproteins; D011506:Proteins; D020543:Proteome
keywords: 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis; Dentin; human pulp; pulp-dentin complex; tandem mass spectrometry; tooth proteome