Expression of β-Endorphin and Caspase-9 in Orthodontically Treated Dental Pulp.

Introduction. For several years, our histology laboratory has worked in co-operation with the Winchmore Hill Dental Practice studying the activity of Acetylcholinesterase and some neuropeptides (CGRP, Sub. P, Enkephalins, Endorphins)(1) in orthodontic treated human dental pulp to clarify force's action. It seems that recent data do not yet, fully elucidate the exact effects of the force applied on teeth. For this reason we are investigating whether the traction is involved in some cases of pulpal death. In this study we focused on the expression of Caspase-9 and β-Endorphine. Materials and Methods. The expression of the 2 peptides has been identified through immunohistochemistry assay: not treated dental pulp and treated dental pulp (six months orthodontic traction, the force was applied using 0.12, 0,14, 0.16 NiTi archwire). Results. Control pulp: weak positivity to β-Endorphine of intraparechymal and vascular nervous fibres. Treated pulp: the pulpal morphology is altered with oedema, inflammatory infiltrate and disorganized odontoblastic epithelium. Intense β-Endorphine reactivity of intraparechymal and perivascular nervous fibres; strong positivity of odontoblasts. Control pulp: Caspase-9 positivity in some odontoblasts and pulpal parenchymal cells. Treated pulp: We identified a strong nuclear Caspase-9 staining in many odontoblasts and some parenchymal cells. Vessels endothelium appears to be positive too. Conclusions. We observed weak changes in the expression of both β-Endorfin and Caspase-9 in orthodontically treated pulps compared to control pulps. The present result confirm our purpose to continue study the action of orthodontic traction for longer time to understand better the role of those proteins. References. 1) Angelo Leone, Roselyn A. Jurjus, Aldo Gerbino, Luana Lipari, Annamaria Mauro and Maria Buscemi. Twenty years' history of immunohistochemical mammals dental pulp studies. Experimental Medicine Revews (2007); 223-232.