Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2021, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (5): 679-684.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2998

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Expression of interleukin-24 in a mouse model of periapical periodontitis

Zhang Mi, Wu Saixuan, Dong Ming, Lu Ying, Niu Weidong   

  1. School of Stomatology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116041, Liaoning Province, China
  • Received:2020-02-25 Revised:2020-02-29 Accepted:2020-04-03 Online:2021-02-18 Published:2020-11-28
  • Contact: Niu Weidong, MD, Professor, Doctoral supervisor, School of Stomatology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116041, Liaoning Province, China
  • About author:Zhang Mi, Master candidate, Physician, School of Stomatology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116041, Liaoning Province, China
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81700962

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Apical periodontitis, often accompanied by periapical bone destruction, is an inflammatory disease of the periapical tissue caused by mixed bacterial infections. Studies have shown that interleukin-24 plays an important role in inflammatory response and affects bone homeostasis as a pleiotropic immune regulator.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression of interleukin-24 during periapical periodontitis in mice.
METHODS: An induced animal model was constructed in mice to simulate the progression of human apical periodontitis. Twenty-five C57BL/6 female mice at 6 weeks of age were randomly divided into five groups. Mice in the experimental group were anesthetized and the pulps of both mandibular first molars were exposed to the oral cavity for 7, 14, 21, and 28 days, named 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-week groups. The control group was given no treatments as 0-week group. Mandibular tissues were separated in each group after anesthesia, and then were fixed, decalcified and made into frozen slices of the molar region. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the histopathological changes of periapical lesions. Immunohistochemistry staining and RT-PCR were used to detect the expression and changes of interleukin-24 in periapical lesions of mice. The study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Dalian Medical University School of Stomatology. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The results of hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that no obvious inflammatory response was observed in the normal periapical region of the 0-week group; the inflammatory cell infiltration area was continuously expanded and the periapical tissue was continuously destroyed in each experimental group, indicating that mouse model of periapical periodontitis was successfully established. The results of immunohistochemistry staining showed that there was almost no interleukin-24 expression in the 0-week group; the expression of interleukin-24 in the periapical region of each experimental group was significantly higher than that in the 0-week group (P < 0.05), and showed a peak expression in the 2-week group. The results of RT-PCR showed that the mRNA level of interleukin-24 in each experimental group was higher than that in the 0-week group (P < 0.05), and peaked at 2 weeks. Overall, our findings indicate that in the animal model of periapical periodontitis, the expression of interleukin-24 increases with a certain trend in the development of periapical lesions, suggesting that it may be involved in the progression of inflammation related to periapical periodontitis.

Key words: tooth, periapical periodontitis, interleukin, cytokine, model, mouse, oral cavity

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