Figure 1

AP inflammation and behavioral change induced by dental pulp exposure.

(A) Hematoxylin and eosin staining of left pulp at different time points of AP in rat. (Arrows indicate infiltration of inflammatory cells at the surface of necrotic and normal tissue). In SHAM group, there is normal dental pulp without inflammatory cells or necrosis; In the AP-1 group, the intensively gathered inflammatory cells occupy the most part of the dental pulp cavity with necrosis at the top; only a minimal vital pulp is left at the bottom of the cavity. In AP-3, most of the pulp tissue has developed into necrosis with few inflammatory cells inside the cavity. (Bar = 100 μm) ^***P < 0.01; n = 8 for each group. (B) ELISA assay for serum IL-1βat different time points of the AP rats showing significant increase in serum IL-1β in AP-1 group as compared to that in SHAM and AP-3 groups. ^**P < 0.01 vs. SHAM; ^##P < 0.01 vs. AP-3; n = 8 for each group. (C) Mechanical and thermal HWTs at different time points in AP rats. There is no significant difference between the right and left TG of the SHAM and AP-3 groups. Only HWTs of the left side of tongue in AP-1 group is significantly decreased. ^**P < 0.01 vs. left side of tongue in the SHAM group; ^##P < 0.01 vs. right side of tongue in the AP-1 group; ^&&P < 0.01 vs. left side of tongue in the AP-1 group; n = 8 for each group. (D) Results of open-field tests of AP rats at different time points. There was no significant difference between SHAM and AP-3 groups. In AP-1, spontaneous activity time was decreased and grooming time and rearing times were significantly increased as compared to other groups. ^**P < 0.01 vs. SHAM; ^##P < 0.01 vs. AP-3; n = 8 for each group.