Comparative evaluation of neural tissue antigens – neurofilament protein (NF), peripherin (PRP), S100B protein (S100B), neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and chromogranin-A (CgA) – in both normal and inflamed human mature dental pulp

Abstract

The immunohistochemical detection of neurofilament protein (NF), peripherin (PRP), S100B protein (S100B), neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and chromogranin-A (CgA) has been studied in nerve fibres and bundles of human dental pulp. This was done in order to identify possible differences in the distribution pattern of the above markers between normal and inflamed pulp and, further, to evaluate their potential use as peripheral markers of dental innervation as well as objective markers for the determination of the extent of inflammation. Both normal and inflamed human dental pulp showed positive immunolabelling for NF, S100B and NSE and lack of labelling for PRP and CgA protein. An increased density of NF, S100B and NSE immunoreactive nerve fibres was observed in inflamed pulp samples compared to non-inflamed. The findings of this study suggest the possible application of NF, S100B and NSE as markers of dental innervation. Furthermore, they may be useful for the determination of the extent of pulpal inflammation, and might be utilized in alternative modalities of biological pulp therapy to reduce the inflammation process. The absence of CgA immunolabelling implies the presumptive absence of neuroendocrine antigens, while further research is required in order to clarify the involvement of PRP in dental pulp.