Inflammation and pain occur when the dental caries infection reaches the pulp, which is the internal tissue of the tooth.If this happens, the pulp will be removed (so-called nerve-removing treatment), but the scraping will weaken the teeth and increase the risk of loss in the future.Therefore, we have been studying a treatment method that "does not sharpen teeth as much as possible" by utilizing the high self-healing power of the pulp itself.

　Prostaglandin E2 is an in vivo substance involved in healing processes such as inflammation.It is transported from the inside of the cell to the outside by a transport protein called a prostaglandin transporter (PGT), and functions by binding to a specific receptor (EP).Using rats, the research group analyzed the expression sites and roles of the transporter (PGT) and its receptor (EP2), which are the basis of the prostaglandin E2 pathway during the healing process.

　As a result, PGT and EP2 are expressed in odontoblasts, nerve fibers, and blood vessels that form dentin in normal dental pulp tissue, and in odontoblasts found in the healing part of dental pulp wounds, bacteria to the injured part The involvement in odontoblast formation to prevent invasion was clarified.In addition, PGT and EP2 are also expressed in nerve fibers in the pulp tissue, and it was found that they may be related to neuroprotective action.

　In the future, we would like to promote the development of a new drug treatment method for dental caries targeting the prostaglandin E2 transport route and establish a treatment method that does not sharpen the teeth as much as possible.

Paper information:[Scientific Reports] Effects of pulpotomy using mineral trioxide aggregate on prostaglandin transporter and receptors in rat molars