Effect of low-level laser therapy on tooth-related pain and somatosensory function evoked by orthodontic treatment

Low-level laser therapy(LLLT) may have an effect on the pain associated with orthodontic treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of LLLT on pain and somatosensory sensitization induced by orthodontic treatment. Forty individuals(12–33 years old; mean ± standard deviations: 20.8 ± 5.9 years) scheduled to receive orthodontic treatment were randomly divided into a laser group(LG) or a placebo group(PG)(1:1). The LG received LLLT(810-nm gallium-aluminium-arsenic diode laser in continuous mode with the power set at 400 mW, 2 J·cm–2) at 0 h, 2 h, 24 h, 4 d, and 7 d after treatment, and the PG received inactive treatment at the same time points. In both groups, the non-treated side served as a control. A numerical rating scale(NRS) of pain, pressure pain thresholds(PPTs), cold detection thresholds(CDTs), warmth detection thresholds(WDTs), cold pain thresholds(CPTs), and heat pain thresholds(HPTs) were tested on both sides at the gingiva and canine tooth and on the hand. The data were analysed by a repeated measures analysis of variance(ANOVA). The NRS pain scores were significantly lower in the LG group(P = 0.01). The CDTs,CPTs, WDTs, HPTs, and PPTs at the gingiva and the PPTs at the canine tooth were significantly less sensitive on the treatment side of the LG compared with that of the PG(P < 0.033). The parameters tested also showed significantly less sensitivity on the nontreatment side of the LG compared to that of the PG(P < 0.043). There were no differences between the groups for any quantitative sensory testing(QST) measures of the hand. The application of LLLT appears to reduce the pain and sensitivity of the tooth and gingiva associated with orthodontic treatment and may have contralateral effects within the trigeminal system but no generalized QST effects. Thus, the present study indicated a significant analgesia effect of LLLT application during orthodontic treatment.Further clinical applications are suggested.

Analysis of differential expression of tight junction proteins in cultured oral epithelial cells altered by Porphyromonas gingivalis,Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide,and extracellular adenosine triphosphate

Tight junctions （TJs） are the most apical intercellular junctions of epithelial cells formed by occludin, claudins, junctional adhesion molecules （JAMs）, and zonula occludens （ZO）. Tight junction proteins can sense the presence of bacteria and regulate the transcription of target genes that encode effectors and regulators of the immune response. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of TJ proteins in response to Porphyromonas gingivalis （P. gingivalis）, P. gingivalis lipopolysaccharide （P. gingivalis LPS）, and extracellular adenosine triphosphate （ATP） in the oral epithelial cell culture model. Quantified real time- polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）, immunoblots, and immunostaining were performed to assess the gene and protein expression in TJs. It was found that P. gingivalis infection led to transient upregulation of the genes encoding occludin, claudin- 1, and claudin-4 but not JAM-A, claudin-15, or ZO-1, while P. gingivalis LPS increased claudin-1, claudin-15, and ZO-1 and decreased occludin, JAM-A, and claudin-4. Tight junction proteins showed significant upregulation in the above two groups when cells were pretreated with ATP for 3 h. The findings indicated that P. gingivalis induced the host defence responses at an early stage. P. gingivalis LPS exerted a more powerful stimulatory effect on the disruption of the epithelial barrier than P. gingivalis. ATP stimulation enhanced the reaction of TJ proteins to P. gingivalis invasion and LPS destruction of the epithelium.

Isolation and Identification of Putative Oral Cancer Stem Cells

目的:分离鉴定口腔鳞癌细胞系Tca8113中的肿瘤干细胞。方法:利用有限稀释的方法分离Tca8113细胞系中的肿瘤干细胞。通过MTT法、流式细胞技术、细胞免疫荧光、克隆形成率分析、细胞迁移能力检测和裸鼠皮下成瘤实验确定分离得到的肿瘤干细胞的生物学特点。结果:分离得到的紧密型克隆肿瘤细胞表现为异倍体样细胞周期,大部分细胞处于G0/G1期,增殖能力、克隆形成率和体外迁移能力都明显高于未分离的肿瘤细胞。紧密型克隆肿瘤细胞肿瘤干细胞标记物ABCG2表达也高于未分离的肿瘤细胞,并且具有更强的裸鼠皮下成瘤能力。结论:我们分离得到的紧密型克隆细胞具有较强的细胞增殖和自我更新能力,可能就是口腔鳞癌细胞系Tca8113中的肿瘤干细胞。

An early report: a modified porphyrin-linked metronidazole targeting intracellular Porphyromonas gingivalis in cultured oral epithelial cells

Porphyromonas gingivalis （P. gingivalis） has a strong association with the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. Recurrence of periodontal disease following therapy is attributed to numerous factors, and of growing interest is the potential problem of intracellular bacteria that are able to persist and multiply within the host cell, thereby facilitating relapse of infection. The effect of antibiotic therapy in controlling P. gingivalis is questionable. Accordingly, while metronidazole is very effective against anaerobic extracellular P. gingivalis by disrupting the DNA of anaerobic microbial cells, this antibiotic does not effectively penetrate into mammalian cells to inhibit intracellular bacteria. Therefore in the present study, a modified porphyrin-linked metronidazole adducts, developed in our laboratory, was used to kill intracellular P. gingivalis. A series of experiments were performed, including cytotoxicity assays and cellular uptake of adducts by flow cytometry coupled with live cell imaging analysis, P. gingivalis invasion and elimination assays, and the analysis of colocalization of P. gingivalis and porphyrin-linked metronidazole by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Findings indicated that P. gingivalis and porphyrin-linked metronidazole were colocalized in the cytoplasm, and this compound was able to kill P. gingivalis intracellular with a sufficient culture time. This is a novel antimicrobial approach in the elimination of P. gingivalis from the oral cavity.

The Association between Folate Pathway Genes and Cleft Lip With or Without Cleft Palate in a Chinese Population

NSCL/P is a common congenital defect and gene-environmental factors involve in this disorder. Periconceptional intake of folate may reduce the risk of NSCL/P. The present study investigated three SNPs （rs1801198, rs955516, and rs3733890） in three folate pathway genes, including TCN2, MTR, and BHMT among 481 patients and 558 healthy subjects. Rs955516 showed allelic association with NSCL/P. More patients carry rs955516 AA and rs3733890 AA genotypes.

The role of gut microbiota(commensal bacteria)and the mucosal barrier in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and cancer:contribution of germ-free and gnotobiotic animal models of human diseases

Metagenomic approaches are currently being used to decipher the genome of the microbiota(microbiome),and,in parallel,functional studies are being performed to analyze the effects of the microbiota on the host.Gnotobiological methods are an indispensable tool for studying the consequences of bacterial colonization.Animals used as models of human diseases can be maintained in sterile conditions(isolators used for germ-free rearing)and specifically colonized with defined microbes(including non-cultivable commensal bacteria).The effects of the germ-free state or the effects of colonization on disease initiation and maintenance can be observed in these models.Using this approach we demonstrated direct involvement of components of the microbiota in chronic intestinal inflammation and development of colonic neoplasia(i.e.,using models of human inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal carcinoma).In contrast,a protective effect of microbiota colonization was demonstrated for the development of autoimmune diabetes in non-obese diabetic(NOD)mice.Interestingly,the development of atherosclerosis in germ-free apolipoprotein E(ApoE)-deficient mice fed by a standard low-cholesterol diet is accelerated compared with conventionally reared animals.Mucosal induction of tolerance to allergen Bet v1 was not influenced by the presence or absence of microbiota.Identification of components of the microbiota and elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of their action in inducing pathological changes or exerting beneficial,disease-protective activities could aid in our ability to influence the composition of the microbiota and to find bacterial strains and components(e.g.,probiotics and prebiotics)whose administration may aid in disease prevention and treatment.

Nicotine-induced upregulation of antioxidant protein Prx 1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Nicotine is a source of exogenous oxidative stress, which is associated with the pathogenesis of numerous diseases including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), whereas an antioxidant protein, peroxiredoxin 1 (Prx 1), plays an important role in the modulation of this condition. This study was to investigate the association between Prx 1 and tobacco-induced oxidative stress. The expression of Prx 1 and GST in OSCC Tca8113 cells, which were pre-treated with nicotine, was determined. In the present study, MTT assay, reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, RT-PCR and Western blot analyses, respectively, were conducted to assess cell viability, ROS level, and expression level of Prx 1 and GST in nicotine-treated Tca8113 cells. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF- B) expression was detected by immuno-fluorescence. Our results showed the growth of Tca8113 cells was increased in a dose-dependent manner when cells were treated with nicotine at concentrations from 0.1 to 10 mol/L, but the proliferation of the cells decreased at 100 mol/L. ROS levels increased in all groups treated with nicotine at concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10, or 100 mol/L for 24h. Prx 1 and GST mRNA and protein expression were up-regulated in cells treated with nicotine for the same time at different concentrations or at the same concentration for different times (P<0.05). NF-B was translocated from cytoplasm to nucleus, the expression of NF- B was increased in nucleus. These results suggest that up-regulation of Prx1 expression appears to be associated with tobacco-induced oxidative stress, which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of OSCC.

Antimicrobial effect of acidified nitrate and nitrite on six common oral pathogens in vitro

Background Salivary nitrate is positively correlated with plasma nitrate and its level is 9 times the plasma level after nitrate loading. Nitrate in saliva is known to be reduced to nitrite by oral bacteria. Nitrate and nitrite levels in saliva are 3-5 times those in serum in physiological conditions respectively in our previous study. The biological functions of high salivary nitrate and nitrite are still not well understood. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the antimicrobial effects of nitrate and nitrite on main oral pathogens under acidic conditions. Methods Six common oral pathogens including Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10449, Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4646, Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277, Capnocytophaga gingivalis ATCC 33624, Fusobacterium nucleatum ATCC 10953, and Candida albicans ATCC 10231 were cultured in liquid medium. Sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite was added to the medium to final concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 10 mmol/L. All of the microorganisms were incubated for 24 to 48 hours. The optical densities （OD） of cell suspensions were determined and the cultures were transferred to solid nutrient broth medium to observe the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal concentration for the six tested pathogens. Results Nitrite at concentrations of 0.5 to 10 mmol/L had an inhibitory effect on all tested organisms at low pH values. The antimicrobial effect of nitrite increased with the acidity of the medium. Streptococcus mutans NCTC 10449 was highly sensitive to nitrite at low pH values. Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4646 and Candida albicans ATCC 10231 were relatively resistant to acidified nitrite. Nitrate at the given concentrations and under acidic conditions had no inhibitory effect on the growth of any of the tested pathogens. Conclusion Nitrite, at a concentration equal to that in human saliva, is both cytocidal and cytostatic to six principal oral pathogens in vitro, whereas nitrate at a similar concentration has no antimicrobial effect on these organisms.

Biocompatible reduced graphene oxide stimulated BMSCs induce acceleration of bone remodeling and orthodontic tooth movement through promotion on osteoclastogenesis and angiogenesis

We has synthesized the biocompatible gelatin reduced graphene oxide(GOG)in previous research,and in this study we would further evaluate its effects on bone remodeling in the aspects of osteoclastogenesis and angiogenesis so as to verify its impact on accelerating orthodontic tooth movement.The mouse orthodontic tooth movement(OTM)model tests in vivo showed that the tooth movement was accelerated in the GOG local injection group with more osteoclastic bone resorption and neovascularization compared with the PBS injection group.The analysis on the degradation of GOG in bone marrow stromal stem cells(BMSCs)illustrated its good biocompatibility in vitro and the accumulation of GOG in spleen after local injection of GOG around the teeth in OTM model in vivo also didn’t influence the survival and life of animals.The co-culture of BMSCs with hematopoietic stem cells(HSCs)or human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)in transwell chamber systems were constructed to test the effects of GOG stimulated BMSCs on osteoclastogenesis and angiogenesis in vitro.With the GOG stimulated BMSCs co-culture in upper chamber of transwell,the HSCs in lower chamber manifested the enhanced osteoclastogenesis.Meanwhile,the co-culture of GOG stimulated BMSCs with HUVECs showed a promotive effect on the angiogenic ability of HUVECs.The mechanism analysis on the biofunctions of the GOG stimulated BMSCs illustrated the important regulatory effects of PERK pathway on osteoclastogenesis and angiogenesis.All the results showed the biosecurity of GOG and the biological functions of GOG stimulated BMSCs in accelerating bone remodeling and tooth movement.