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Aim The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of substance P (SP), neurokinin A (NKA) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in painful and healthy human dental pulps. Methodology Forty-six samples of pulp tissue were collected from extracted or endodontically treated painful teeth and 20 from clinically healthy teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons. All pulp samples were boiled in 0.5 m acetic acid for 10 min, centrifuged and the supernatant collected. SP, NKA and CGRP levels were measured using radioimmunoassay. Results Substance P and CGRP were present in all samples and NKA was detected in 96% of the pulps. CGRP was present in much higher concentrations than SP and NKA in both painful and non-painful teeth. The painful teeth had significantly higher concentrations of SP (P = 0.02), NKA (P

Aim To determine the distribution of the NPY Y1 receptor in carious and noncarious human dental pulp tissue using immunohistochemistry. A subsidiary aim was to confirm the presence of the NPY Y1 protein product in membrane fractions of dental pulp tissue from carious and noncarious teeth using western blotting. Methodology Twenty two dental pulp samples were collected from carious and noncarious extracted teeth. Ten samples were processed for immunohistochemistry using a specific antibody to the NPY Y1 receptor. Twelve samples were used to obtain membrane extracts which were electrophoresed, blotted onto nitrocellulose and probed with NPY Y1 receptor antibody. Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance was employed to test for overall statistical differences between NPY Y1 levels in noncarious, moderately carious and grossly carious teeth. Results Neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor immunoreactivity was detected on the walls of blood vessels in pulp tissue from noncarious teeth. In carious teeth NPY Y1 immunoreactvity was observed on nerve fibres, blood vessels and inflammatory cells. Western blotting indicated the presence and confirmed the variability of NPY Y1 receptor protein expression in solubilised membrane preparations of human dental pulp tissue from carious and noncarious teeth. Conclusions Neuropeptide Y Y1 is expressed in human dental pulp tissue with evidence of increased expression in carious compared with noncarious teeth, suggesting a role for NPY Y1 in modulation of caries induced pulpal inflammation.