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AIM: To comparatively analyse the levels of culturable bacteria, endotoxins (LPS), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) and substance P in teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP) and vital normal pulp (VNP) tissues. METHODOLOGY: Thirty-two patients were included (20 teeth with SIP and 12 teeth with VNP tissues) in this cross-sectional study. Samples were collected from the full length of the root canals (microbial analysis) and periapical tissues (2 mm beyond the apex for immunological analysis), using sterile absorbent paper points. The levels of culturable bacteria (culture method), endotoxins (LAL Pyrogent 5000), TNF-α, IL-1ß and substance P (ELISA) were assessed. The Mann-Whitney test was used for comparisons between the levels of CFU/mL, LPS, TNF-α, IL-1ß and substance P in the SIP and VNP groups. The statistical analysis was performed with the significance level set at 5%. RESULTS: Culturable bacteria were recovered from all teeth with SIP. On the other hand, no positive cultures were observed in the VNP tissues group (p > .05). The levels of LPS were approximately four times higher in teeth with SIP than in teeth with VNP tissues (p < .05). Higher levels of TNF-α and substance P were detected in teeth with SIP (p < .05). On the other hand, no difference in the levels of IL-1ß was detected between the two groups (p > .05). CONCLUSION: Teeth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis present higher levels of culturable bacteria, endotoxins, TNF-α and substance P than those with vital normal pulp tissues. On the other hand, the levels of IL-1ß were similar in teeth from both groups suggesting reduced implications of this inflammatory mediator in the early stages of infection.

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AIM: To evaluate in a clinical trial the efficacy of reciprocating and ultrasonic activation of 6% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in the microbial composition and reduction in microbial load as well as in levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) in teeth with primary endodontic infections. METHODOLOGY: Samples were collected from 24 root canals with pulp necrosis and periapical lesions, before and after chemo-mechanical canal preparation. The teeth were randomly divided according to the activation protocol as follows: control group without activation (WA, n = 8), reciprocating activation group using Easy Clean tip (EC, n = 8) and ultrasonic activation group using Irrisonic insert (US, n = 8). Microbiological specimens were processed using a culture technique and microbiota composition was analysed using the checkerboard technique. The levels of LPS and LTA were quantified using limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The Fisher's exact test, Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn's and Wilcoxon's test with a significance level of P < 0.05 were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: All initial specimens had growth of viable bacteria in fastidious anaerobe agar (FAA), with an average of 105  CFU mL-1 , whereas only one case had such growth after chemo-mechanical canal preparation. LPS and LTA were recovered in 100% of the cases. Chemo-mechanical canal preparation significantly decreased the levels of LPS and LTA (P < 0.05), but no significant differences were found between the groups (P > 0.05). Through the checkerboard technique, bacteria were found in 100% of the initial specimens with concentrations between <105 and 106 . The most frequently identified microorganisms were Prevotella nigrescens and Enterococcus hirae. After chemo-mechanical canal preparation, many species were not detected in any of the three groups tested. A significant reduction occurred in Group US, followed by Groups EC and WA. CONCLUSIONS: Activation of 6% NaOCl reduced the levels of LPS and LTA with no differences between the groups. However, ultrasonic activation was associated with a greater reduction in microbial load within root canals.

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We determined the amounts of [35S]-glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) found on the intracellular, pericellular and extracellular compartments of primary cultures of astrocytes derived from newborn rat cortex and cerebellum in vitro. Our results show that the greatest portion of newly synthesized GAGs were found in different cellular compartments, depending on the source of the astrocytes. In the cells derived from the cerebellum, the proportion of [35S]-GAGs secreted to the culture medium preponderates over the amount found in the two other compartments, whereas cells derived from the cortex accumulated higher proportions of [35S]-GAGs in the intracellular compartment than in the two other compartments. Cortical and cerebellar glial cells synthesised and secreted heparan sulfate (HS) and chondroitin 4-sulfate (C-4S). HS was predominantly accumulated on the pericellular surface, while C-4S was mostly secreted to the culture medium. Beside the difference on the distribution of total [35S]-GAGs among the three cellular compartments, no difference was observed on the relative proportions of HS and C-4S within each compartment. By defining the source of GAGs, the present study may help to complement and extend information on biosynthesis of these compounds by mammalian glial cells.

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Thyroid hormones are important for neurogenesis and gliogenesis during brain development. We have previously demonstrated that triiodothyronine (T3) treatment induced proliferation in primary culture astrocytes derived from the cerebellum of neonatal rats. Conditioned medium obtained from those T3-treated astrocytes (T3CM) mimicked the effect of hormonal treatment on these cells. Because neuron-glia interaction plays an important role in brain development, we tested the ability of such T3-glial CM to influence neuronal physiology. With that aim, neurons from 19-day embryonic cerebella were cultivated for 24 h in the presence of CM obtained from T3-treated cerebellar astrocytes. Interestingly, the cerebellar neuronal population increased by 60-80% in T3CM. Addition of 5 microM forskolin enhanced the responsiveness of cerebellar neurons to astrocytes T3CM, but it did not interfere with neuronal survival in control medium. Conversely, inhibition of adenylate cyclase by its specific inhibitor, SQ22536, reversed the T3CM effect on neurons. These data strongly suggest that cAMP signal transduction pathways might be implicated in such an event. Analysis of bromodeoxyuridil incorporation revealed that the increase in neuron number in T3CM was partially due to neuron proliferation, because the proliferation index was three times higher in T3CM than in control medium. Neutralizing antibody assays demonstrated that T3CM effects on neurons are due, at least in part, to the presence of tumor necrosis factor-beta and epidermal growth factor. Thus, we report here a novel molecular mechanism of action of thyroid hormone on cerebellar neuronal cells: Thyroid hormone induces astrocytes to secrete growth factors that can interfere with neuronal proliferation via a paracrine pathway.

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Prions, the etiological agents for infectious degenerative encephalopathies, act by entering the cell and inducing conformational changes in PrPC (a normal cell membrane sialoglycoprotein), which result in cell death. A specific cell-surface receptor to mediate PrPC and prion endocytosis has been predicted. Complementary hydropathy let us generate a hypothetical peptide mimicking the receptor binding site. Antibodies raised against this peptide stain the surface of mouse neurons and recognize a 66-kDa membrane protein that binds PrPC both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, both the complementary prion peptide and antiserum against it inhibit the toxicity of a prion-derived peptide toward neuronal cells in culture. Such reagents might therefore have therapeutic applications.

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Desmin protein is an abundant constituent of the intermediate filaments in the electrocytes of the electric organ of the electric eel Electrophorus electricus. Polyclonal antibodies were raised against purified desmin from the electric organ and used for immunolabeling of the protein in reconstituted filaments. In thick sections of the main electric organ that has been stained with fluorescein-labeled desmin-specific antibodies, light microscope revealed a diffuse meshwork of desmin filaments dispersed in the cytoplasm of electrocytes. In the region under the membrane, the immunostaining was slightly more intense than elsewhere. The meshwork of intermediate filaments composed of desmin was examined by electron microscopy of the main electric organ. Immuno-gold labeling demonstrated a widespread meshwork of desmin filaments in the cytoplasm and in close association with the plasma membrane. These observations suggest that intermediate filaments play a role in the maintenance of the morphology of electrocytes and, as an intracellular meshwork spanning the width of the cell, they may contribute to the organization of the intracellular compartments.

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