A wide range of mediators are released from the pulp tissue because of bacterial invasion which causes inflammation. Interleukins (ILs) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have a leading role in initiating and spreading of inflammation because of their synergic action. Biomarkers such as ILs and MMPs can be identified via several methods, establishing the inflammatory response of the dental pulp. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the levels of ILs and/or MMPs in human dental pulp. PubMed, OVID, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science and Wiley online library databases were searched for original clinical studies. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, a quality assessment of studies was performed based on a modified Newcastle-Ottawa scale. In the review were included articles that evaluated the presence of ILs and/or MMPs in pulp tissue using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or western blot or multiplex assay. Six articles were included in the present synthesis. Although various diagnostic methods were used, statistically significant higher levels of ILs and/or MMPs were mostly found in the experimental groups compared to healthy pulp samples. The biomarkers studied can be a promising tool to evaluate pulp tissue health or even in pulpitis treatment.

Dental pulp inflammation, caused by the evolution of caries, involves numerous interrelated activities at a cellular and molecular level. Cytokines, proteases, growth factors, and other biomarkers of the host response may take part in dental pulp’s immune defense. The aim of this pilot study was to determine the levels of inflammation, oxidative stress, and extracellular matrix degradation biomarkers in healthy and symptomatic irreversibly inflamed dental pulp samples from children and adolescents. Twenty-three dental pulp samples were collected from permanent teeth with irreversible inflammation, while nineteen healthy dental pulp samples were obtained from teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons. Pulp lysates were obtained and the levels of IL-2, IL-17, TNF-α, SOD3, TGF-β1, catalase, osteocalcin, MMP-7, and MMP-9 were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. We detected significantly higher levels (p < 0.001) of IL-2, IL-17, TNF-α, SOD3, osteocalcin, and TGF-β1 in pulp samples with irreversible inflammation than in controls. Catalase and MMP-7 showed higher levels in the experimental group, while MMP-9 showed slightly increased levels in the control group, but none of these differences were statistically significant (p = 0.064/p = 0.061/p = 0.625). Inflamed dental pulp samples showed an up-regulation of IL-2, IL-17, TNF-α, SOD3, osteocalcin, and TGF-β1. These biomarkers appear to have a powerful role in the inflammation process of human dental pulp.

Inflammation in primary teeth (PT) is commonly associated with a lower sensibility to painful stimuli, compared to permanent teeth, and usually leads to late presentation for dental treatment. Data obtained on the molecular assessments of dental pulp and clinical examinations could guide practitioners to conduct precise diagnoses and correct treatments. The aim of our pilot study was to assess the levels of several biomarkers (e.g., mineralization, oxidative stress, and inflammation) in primary teeth. The research included 46 dental pulp specimens collected from the primary teeth of children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 12. The experimental groups consisted of 18 samples collected from primary teeth with acute pulpitis and 15 samples from chronically inflamed pulp tissues. The control group was represented by 13 specimens acquired from clinically healthy primary teeth. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique was used to determine the protein expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), superoxide dismutase-3 (SOD-3), osteocalcin, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in the lysates. Our results revealed that all of the studied parameters presented statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) increased levels in both experimental groups compared to the control samples. Furthermore, osteocalcin presented statistically significant increased concentrations in chronically- versus acute-inflamed pulp samples (p ≤ 0.05). The studied molecules may have an influential role in acute and chronic pulp inflammation in primary teeth.