There exists very little information on the ultrastructure of substance P immunopositive (+) fibers in the human dental pulp, which may help in understanding the mechanism for substance P associated pulpal inflammatory pain. To address this issue, we investigated the presence of substance P+ fibers in the human dental pulp by light- and electron-microscopic immunohistochemistry. Light microscopy revealed that substance P+ fibers ran within neurovascular bundles in the radicular pulp and in the core of coronal pulp. They were also frequently present in the peripheral pulp. Substance P+ fibers showed beads like swellings interconnected by thin axonal strand, in a manner similar to bouton en passants and interconnecting axonal strand in the spinal cord. Electron microscopy revealed that almost all the substance P+ axons were unmyelinated. The axonal swellings of the substance P+ contained numerous clear round vesicles (40-50 nm in diameter) and many large dense-cored vesicles (80-110 nm in diameter) as well as many mitochondria. The vesicles and mitochondria were rarely observed in the thin axonal strand interconnecting the swellings. Intimate interrelationship or synaptic structure between the swellings of substance P+ axon and nearby pulpal cells or axons was not found. These findings suggest co-release of substance P and glutamate from the substance P+ pulpal axons and its action on nearby structures in a paracrine manner.

Substance P (SP) is known to be expressed in the nerve fibers of dental pulp and periodontal tissues. It was recently reported that SP expression increased in response to orthodontic force. In the present study, we investigated the effect of SP on expression of mineralization markers and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in human immortalized periodontal ligament (IPDL) cells. Cell viability was measured using a 3,4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The expression of mineralization markers, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteonectin (ON) and bone sialoprotein (BSP), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. SP did not significantly change human IPDL cell viability, with the exception of the 24 hour treatment group. Treatment of human IPDL cells with 10-10 to 10-⁴M SP upregulated mineralization marker and HO-1 expression in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Our results suggest that SP may modulate osteoblastic cell differentiation of human IPDL cells through a mechanism involving HO-1 expression.

Although substance P (SP). a potent pro-inflammatory peptide, is involved in inflammation and immune responses, the effect of SP 011 the expression of macl'ophage inJlammatol'Y protein 3a (MIP-3a. CCL20) in periodontal ligament (PDL) cells a l'e unknown Equally as enigmatic is the link between SP. the stress protein heme oxygenase-l (HO-l) , and CCL20 product ion. We investigated whether SP induces the release of chemokine CCL20 from irrunortalized POL (IPDL) cells. and further claif’y SP mediated pathways . We also exarnined the relationship between HO-l and CCL20 by treating POL cells with SP Incubating IPOL cells with SP incl'eased ex pl'ession of CCL20 mRNA and CCL20 protein in a dose-time dependent manner. Highly selective p38 and ERKl/2 inhibitors abl'ogated SP-induced expression of CCL20 lD IPOL cells SP is also responsible fo l' ini tiating phosphorylation of I/( B‘ degl'adation of IK B. and activation of NF-/( B. SP induced expression of HO-l in both a concentration- and time-dependent manner. and CCL20 refl ected similal' patterns. The inductive effects of SP on HO-l and CCL20 were enhanced by HO- l inducer hemin and the membrane-permea ble cGMP analog 8-bromo-cGMP Conversely, this pathway was inhi bited by the HO-l inhibitor zinc Pl'otoporphyrin IX (ZnPP IX) and the selective inhibitor of guanylate cyclase‘ 1H- [1. 2. 4]uxad iazole[4, 3-alquinoxal i n- 1-one (ODQ) We report hel'ein the pathway that connects SP a long with other modulators 0 1' neuroimmunoregulationto the induction of HO-1 and the inflanunatol'y mediatol' MIP- 3a /CCL20 in IPDL cel ls. which play an impol'tant role in the development 0 1' pe- I'iodontitis or inflammation during ol'thodontic tooth movement

Al t hough substance P(SP) , a potent pro- inflammatory peptide, is involved in inflammation and immune responses‘ t he eff'ect of SP on t he expression of macrophage inflammatory protein 3a (MIP- 3α CCL20) in periodontal liga ment(PDL) cell s a re unknown, Equally as enigmatic is the link between SP, t he stress protein heme oxygenase- l(HO-l) ‘ and CCL20 procluction, We investigated whether SP induces the release of chemokine CCL20 from immortal ized PDL(IPDL) ceJJ s‘ and fur ther c l a꺼 SP mediated pathways, We also examined the relationship between HO-l a ncl CCL20 by t reating PDL cells with SP, Incubating IPDL cells with SP increased expression of CCL20 mRNA a nd CCL20 protein in a dose-time dependent manner Highly selective p38 and ERKl/2 inhibitors abrogated SP-induced expression of CCL20 in IPDL cell s, SP is a lso responsible for ini t iating phosphorylation of I/C B, degradation of Iκ B‘ ancl activat ion of NF'-/C B, SP induced expression of HO-l in both a concentration- and time-dependent man nel ‘ and CCL20 refl ected s imilar patterns, The inductive effects o[ SP on HO- l and CCL20 wer e enhanced by HO- j inducer hemin and the membrane-permeable cGMP analog 8-bromo-cGMP, Conversely, this pathway was inJübited by t he 1-10난 inhi bitor zinc protoporphyrin IX(ZnPP IX) and the selective inl뼈itor of guanylate cyc1ase‘ lH-[l , 2, 4Joxad iazole[4‘ 3-aJquinoxal in-l-one (ODQ) , We report herein the pathway that connects SP along with other modulators 。f neuroimmunoregulationto the induction of HO-l and t he inflammatory mediator MIP-3a /CCL20 in IPDL cell s‘ which play an important role in the development 01' periodontitis or inflamrnation during orthodontic tooth movem