Involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinases and nuclear factor-kappa B activation in nitric oxide-induced interleukin-8 expression in human pulp cells.
Min, Kyung-San DDS, PhD a,*; Kim, Hyun-Il DDS, MS b,*; Chang, Hoon-Sang DDS, MS; Kim, Hyung-Ryong DDS, PhD; Pae, Hyun-Ock PhD; Chung, Hun-Taeg MD, PhD; Hong, Seung-Heon PhD; Shin, Hong-In DDS, PhD; Hong, Chan-Ui DDS, PhD; Lee, Suk-Keun DDS, PhD; Kim, Eun-Cheol DDS, PhD j
[Miscellaneous Article] Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, & Endodontics. 105(5):654-660, May 2008.

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Objective: This study examined the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on interleukin-8 (IL-8) production and the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-[kappa]B) signaling pathways in primary cultured human pulp cells.

Study design: IL-8 production was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. MAPK activation and I[kappa]B degradation and phosphorylation were determined by western blotting.

Results: Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), an NO donor, has increased IL-8 secretion and mRNA expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner. SNP induced the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK), degradation and phosphorylation of I[kappa]B, and activation of NF-[kappa]B. Furthermore, inhibition of the ERK, p38, and NF-[kappa]B pathways blocked SNP-induced IL-8 secretion.

Conclusion: Human pulp cells showed NO-induced IL-8 expression via the MAPK and NF-[kappa]B pathways, which may play an important role in the inflammatory responses of pulp and periapical lesions.

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