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. 2005 Jul 7;5(1):5.
doi: 10.1186/1472-6831-5-5.

Sodium channel Nav1.8 immunoreactivity in painful human dental pulp

T Renton  1 , Y Yiangou, C Plumpton, S Tate, C Bountra, P Anand
Affiliations

Sodium channel Nav1.8 immunoreactivity in painful human dental pulp

T Renton et al. BMC Oral Health. .

Abstract

Background: The tetrodotoxin-resistant voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.8 (SNS1/PN3) is expressed by nociceptors and may play a role in pain states.

Methods: Using specific antibodies for immunohistochemistry, we studied Nav1.8 immunoreactivity in human dental pulp in relation to the neuronal marker neurofilament. Human tooth pulp was extracted from teeth harvested from a total of twenty-two patients (fourteen without dental pain, eight patients with dental pain).

Results: Fibres immunoreactive for Nav1.8, were significantly increased on image analysis in the painful group: median (range) Nav1.8 to Neurofilament % area ratio, non-painful 0.059 (0.006-0.24), painful 0.265 (0.13-0.5), P = 0.0019.

Conclusion: Nav1.8 sodium channels may thus represent a therapeutic target in trigeminal nerve pain states.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Photomicrograph illustrates the pulpal horn of a molar tooth, highlighting the relationship of the subodontoblastic plexus (boxed area) to the deeper coronal pulp. Magnification × 10
Figure 2
Figure 2
Immunoreactive nerve fibres in non-painful (left column) and painful (right column) human tooth pulp sections, in pulp from painful teeth within the subontoblastic plexus region 'boxed' in Figure 1. Staining with antibodies to Nav1.8 (A and C) and neurofilament (B and D). Arrows indicate Nav1.8 immunoreactive nerve fibres. Magnification × 40
Figure 3
Figure 3
Scattergram of Nav1.8 to Neurofilament ratio of the % area in control and painful tooth pulp. The median value is indicated * P < 0.005.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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