OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid 3 (TRPV3) ion channel protein in human odontoblasts (OD).

METHODSTwenty intact and healthy third molars extracted for orthodontic purpose were included. The quality of dental tissue sections was determined through HE staining, and the OD layer was further determined by dentin sialophosphoproteins (DSPP) antibody staining, and finally the expression of TRPV3 ion channel protein in human dental pulp tissue was examined by TRPV3 ion channel protein-specific antibody. The expression of TRPV3 channel proteins in human OD at different part of dental pulp was compared using Image Pro Plus (IPP) and SPSS software.

RESULTSTRPV3 channel protein expressed on the cell body of OD in the coronal and root pulp, and the expression in the coronal pulp was significantly higher than that in the root pulp. The TRPV3 protein also expressed at the odontoblastic process, with the higher expression in the crown (IA = 2516 ± 162) than in the root (IA = 2224 ± 150) and external root (IA = 2121 ± 92) (P < 0.05), but the expression between the lateral root area and external root area was not significantly different (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHuman odonoblasts expressed TRPV3 ion channel protein and the expression level was different at different part of dental pulp OD.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Dental Pulp ; cytology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Odontoblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; TRPV Cation Channels ; metabolism ; Tooth Crown ; metabolism ; Tooth Root ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger 1 (NCX1) channel protein in human odontoblasts (OD) and nervous tissue of dental pulp.

METHODSTwenty intact and healthy third molars extracted for orthodontic purpose were collected. The OD layer and nervous tissue were determined by dentin sialophosphoproteins (DSPP) antibody staining and modified Bielschowsky silver staining respectivelly. The immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expressions of NCX1 protein in human dental pulp tissue. The difference of expression of NCX1 in human OD at different part of dental pulp was statistically analyzed using Image Pro Plus and SPSS software.

RESULTSNCX1 channel protein was mainly expressed on the cell body of OD, and nervous tissue of dental pulp. The expression level of NCX1 on the OD of crown pulp was higher (A = 0.146 ± 0.021) than that on the upper part of root pulp (A = 0.120 ± 0.034), but the expression difference was not significant (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSNCX1 channel protein was expressed on human OD and nervous tissue in dental pulp.

Dental Pulp ; innervation ; metabolism ; Dentin ; chemistry ; Humans ; Molar ; Odontoblasts ; metabolism ; Sodium-Calcium Exchanger ; metabolism ; Tooth Crown