International endodontic journal最新文献

{"title":"Artificial intelligence chatbots in endodontic education-Concepts and potential applications.","authors":"Hossein Mohammad-Rahimi, Frank C Setzer, Anita Aminoshariae, Paul Michael Howell Dummer, Henry F Duncan, Ali Nosrat","doi":"10.1111/iej.14231","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.14231","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into education is transforming learning across various domains, including dentistry. Endodontic education can significantly benefit from AI chatbots; however, knowledge gaps regarding their potential and limitations hinder their effective utilization. This narrative review aims to: (A) explain the core functionalities of AI chatbots, including their reliance on natural language processing (NLP), machine learning (ML), and deep learning (DL); (B) explore their applications in endodontic education for personalized learning, interactive training, and clinical decision support; (C) discuss the challenges posed by technical limitations, ethical considerations, and the potential for misinformation. The review highlights that AI chatbots provide learners with immediate access to knowledge, personalized educational experiences, and tools for developing clinical reasoning through case-based learning. Educators benefit from streamlined curriculum development, automated assessment creation, and evidence-based resource integration. Despite these advantages, concerns such as chatbot hallucinations, algorithmic biases, potential for plagiarism, and the spread of misinformation require careful consideration. Analysis of current research reveals limited endodontic-specific studies, emphasizing the need for tailored chatbot solutions validated for accuracy and relevance. Successful integration will require collaborative efforts among educators, developers, and professional organizations to address challenges, ensure ethical use, and establish evaluation frameworks.</p>","PeriodicalId":13724,"journal":{"name":"International endodontic journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143752604","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"EZH2 knockout in mice activates STAT3 signalling via STAT3 methylation and modulates ferroptosis in pulpitis-affected dental pulp vascular endothelial cells: A laboratory investigation.","authors":"Weilin Zhou, Weili Huang, Hongjing You, Minyi Zhang, Yue Ma, Lingjie Liu, Mengxuan Lin, Shuqi He, Yi Huang","doi":"10.1111/iej.14232","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.14232","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Recent findings suggest that mitigating ferroptosis could serve as an effective strategy for treating inflammation. This study aimed to investigate the role that the enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2) mediated the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (stat3) methylation plays in the modulation of ferroptosis in pulpitis. The study results offer potential advancements in the therapeutic approaches for pulpitis and provide new insights and strategies for managing this condition.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>Bioinformatics analysis combined with methylation capture sequencing of EZH2^fl/flCre^+/- pulp tissue was used to explore the association between pulpitis and ferroptosis. In this study, we used an EZH2 knockout model prepared through lentiviral transduction and an LPS-induced inflammatory model of endometrial mesenchymal stromal cells to confirm the role that the EZH2/STAT3 axis plays in ferroptosis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Bioinformatics analysis identified a link between pulpitis and DNA methylation. Methylation sequencing further revealed the association of methylation with ferroptosis and the regulation of STAT3 methylation by EZH2. In vitro, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation induced ferroptosis, whereas EZH2 disruption suppressed STAT3 expression but increased Glutathione Peroxidase 4 (GPX4) expression, leading to the escalation of oxidative stress and exacerbation of ferroptosis. This illustrates the complex interactions between methylation, ferroptosis and oral inflammation, highlighting potential therapeutic targets.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Overall, pulpitis plays a crucial role in EZH2-mediated STAT3 methylation and activates ferroptosis by regulating GPX4 expression. This study provides new insights and strategies for treatment and advances our understanding of the pathogenesis of pulpitis.</p>","PeriodicalId":13724,"journal":{"name":"International endodontic journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143752624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An HRL-SC/HIF-1α positive feedback loop enhances cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis in dental pulp stem cells via PI3K/AKT signalling pathway.","authors":"Junkai Zeng, Yeqing Yang, Chong Jiang, Buling Wu, Ming Chen","doi":"10.1111/iej.14229","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.14229","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are essential for pulp regeneration but face low survival rates after transplantation. Genetic modification before transplantation is a promising solution to this issue. We aim to elucidate the biological function and regulatory mechanism of hypoxic lncRNA HRL-SC in DPSCs.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>The biological functions of HRL-SC and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in DPSCs were evaluated in vitro by cell proliferation, migration and tube formation assays. Subcutaneous transplantation in nude mice was used to evaluate the effect of HRL-SC on DPSC viability in vivo. RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, RNA immunoprecipitation, dual luciferase reporter gene assay, co-immunoprecipitation, RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, immunofluorescence and RNA and protein stability assays were used to explore the potential mechanism of HRL-SC in DPSCs. Data were analysed by one-way analysis of variance (anova) or Student's t-test, with a p <.05 indicating statistical significance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>HRL-SC, a hypoxia-responsive lncRNA, enhanced the proliferation, migration and tube formation abilities of DPSCs. Subcutaneous transplantation of dental blocks revealed that HRL-SC-mediated DPSCs exhibited improved cell viability and elevated expression of Ki-67 and CD31, along with the capacity to form vascular-like structures. HIF-1α was observed to induce transcription of HRL-SC. Reciprocally, HRL-SC bound to VHL, thereby inhibiting VHL-mediated HIF-1α ubiquitination, which resulted in a positive feed-forward loop of HRL-SC/HIF-1α. RNA-sequencing and functional analyses revealed that HRL-SC was closely associated with hypoxia, angiogenesis, regeneration, integrin and PI3K/AKT signalling pathways. Furthermore, HRL-SC was shown to stabilize ITGAV and ITGB3 through PTBP1. Finally, it was confirmed that HRL-SC activated the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway via the integrin αvβ3/FAK and HIF-1α/PDK1 axes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>DPSCs modified with HRL-SC demonstrated enhanced cell viability via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and exhibited functional characteristics of endothelial cells, which may provide a novel strategy for the application of DPSCs in pulp regeneration.</p>","PeriodicalId":13724,"journal":{"name":"International endodontic journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143729916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization and ex vivo modelling of endodontic infections from the Arabian Gulf region.","authors":"Rania Nassar, Mohannad Nassar, Lobna Mohamed, Abiola Senok, David Williams","doi":"10.1111/iej.14227","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.14227","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>The microbiota of endodontic infections in patients from the Arabian Gulf region (AGR) is largely unexplored. While research in different global regions has investigated the microbial composition of such infections, studies using shotgun metagenomic sequencing (SMS) alongside culture-dependent techniques (CDT) are limited. There are also few in vitro biofilm models that reflect the microbial profiles of endodontic infections. Therefore, by employing SMS and CDT, this research aimed to explore compositional and functional microbial profiles of endodontic infections from the AGR. The research also sought to develop ex vivo biofilms directly from endodontic infection samples.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>SMS and CDT were used to analyze 32 root canal samples from necrotic pulp. Patients' samples were categorized into two cohorts: symptomatic (n = 19) and asymptomatic (n = 13). Samples underwent sequencing followed by bioinformatic analysis to investigate microbial composition, resistome, virulome, and functional differences. Two representative samples (8R, 15R) were selected to develop ex vivo biofilms on hydroxyapatite coupons. Similarity between inoculum and developed biofilms was assessed using SMS and CDT. The reproducibility of developed biofilms was assessed based on microbial composition and relative abundance at the species level using correlation coefficient analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Endodontic samples had high bacterial diversity, with a total of 366 bacterial species detected across the two cohorts. Several antibiotic resistance (n = 59) and virulence (n = 82) genes were identified, with no significant differences between the cohorts. CDT identified 28 bacterial species, with 71.4% of the isolated bacteria having phenotypic resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics. SMS showed that the ex vivo biofilms were polymicrobial. Biofilm derived from sample 15R had 9 species and was dominated by Enterococcus faecalis, while sample 8R had 12 species and was dominated by Streptococcus mutans. Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated a significant positive correlation between biological biofilm replicates, confirming the reproducibility of biofilm formation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>There was high bacterial diversity in root canal samples from necrotic pulp. Samples were shown to contain antibiotic resistance and virulence genes, with no differences evident between symptomatic and asymptomatic infections. A high number of isolated bacteria were resistant to clinically used antibiotics. Ex vivo biofilm models from clinical samples were successfully developed and reproducibly reflected a polymicrobial composition.</p>","PeriodicalId":13724,"journal":{"name":"International endodontic journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143709335","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and validation of OSATS tool for formative assessment of dental students' endodontic access cavity opening skills.","authors":"Juzer Shabbir, Qamar Riaz, Shanila Sohail","doi":"10.1111/iej.14230","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.14230","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Endodontic Access Cavity (EAC) opening is a critical step in Root Canal Treatment. yet, a robust formative assessment tool for this procedure is lacking in the literature. Therefore, the overarching goal of our study was to develop and validate an OSATS tool specifically for the formative assessment of EAC opening skill. The specific objectives of our study were (1) to evaluate the ability of the performance ratings on the newly developed OSATS tool in differentiating between different levels of dental students (Final year students [FY] and House officers [HO]) in the EAC opening procedure on extracted natural teeth and (2)-to determine the inter-rater reliability of the newly developed OSATS tool in assessing the EAC opening procedure.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>Conducted over 6 months in 2024, the tool was developed collaboratively by an endodontic expert (EE) and two medical educationists, following an extensive literature review. Performance rubrics and guidelines were devised, and the tool underwent two review cycles by 11 EEs, achieving satisfactory Content Validity Index scores (Scale-CVI: 0.9, Universal agreement: 0.7). Two trained assessors applied the tool to evaluate 30 students (15 FY, 15 HO) across three tooth types (anterior, premolar, molar), generating 180 OSATS forms. Data analysis in IBM SPSS v24 assessed inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation), internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and group performance differences (Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H-tests).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Inter-rater reliability (0.83) and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.83) were strong. HO significantly outperformed FY (p < .05) on pre-access, initial access and final access sub-scales, with superior global ratings on premolars (p = .003). HO exhibited significant performance differences across sub-scales for anterior, premolar and molar teeth (p < .05), excelling on premolars and anteriors compared to molars.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The newly developed OSATS tool demonstrated strong internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. It effectively differentiated performance ratings across various student levels and tooth types, establishing itself as a reliable and effective instrument for formative assessment of access cavity opening skill in endodontics.</p>","PeriodicalId":13724,"journal":{"name":"International endodontic journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143709413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association between patient age and vital pulp therapy outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prognostic studies.","authors":"Carla Moretto, Patrícia Maria Poli Kopper, Eliseu Aldrighi Münchow, Roberta Kochenborger Scarparo","doi":"10.1111/iej.14223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.14223","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Summarizing the association between patient age and vital pulp therapy (VPT) outcomes is important to improve clinical decision-making.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To investigate whether patient age is a predictor of VPT success/survival, using a research question based on the PICOTS acronym: (P) participants presenting mature permanent teeth undergoing VPT; (I) participants age; (C) gender, systemic condition, preoperative symptoms/diagnosis, caries extent/location, restoration extent/type, bleeding time; (O) clinical and radiographic success/survival; (T) data collected immediately before and during the clinical procedure and follow-up performed at least 1 year later; (S) clinical trials and observational studies developed in dental schools and services.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>PubMed, EMBASE, Lilacs and Web of Science databases were searched for studies published from inception to 29 June 2024. Two independent reviewers selected and extracted data; senior reviewers resolved disagreements. Study characteristics were tabulated, and a meta-analysis was conducted, using RevMan software. The QUIPS tool assesses the risk of bias, whilst the GRADE criteria assess the certainty of evidence.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty-four studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, and 23 in the meta-analysis. Bivariate associations showed higher direct pulp capping (DPC) success rates for participants younger than 40 years [OR = 4.85, 95% CI (2.27-10.39)]. The association between age and full pulpotomy (FP) + partial pulpotomy (PP) survival was not significant in multivariate meta-analysis [HR = 1.02, 95% CI (0.98-1.05)]. Bias related to outcome measurements, confounding/statistical analysis and reporting were the main concerns of the studies' quality, and the overall risk of bias was moderate to high. The certainty of the evidence was very low for the analysis of the DPC 25-year-old cut point, high for the multivariate analysis and moderate for the other analysis.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Age did not influence PP and FP outcomes. In contrast, it is associated with DPC success, probably influenced by difficulties during direct inspection of pulp tissue. Further studies with multivariate-adjusted analyses are required to improve the certainty of the evidence.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Patient age is not associated with the outcomes of PP and FP in permanent teeth but should be considered a risk predictor for patients over 40 years.</p><p><strong>Registration: </strong>CRD42021273826 (PROSPERO).</p>","PeriodicalId":13724,"journal":{"name":"International endodontic journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143709328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Same-day emergencies in endodontic specialists' practice: Before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.","authors":"Ali Nosrat, Yuke Tian, Prashant Verma, Nardin Mossad, Di Wu, Ashraf F Fouad","doi":"10.1111/iej.14228","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.14228","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic affected practice in endodontic offices. Same-day endodontic emergencies are cases with moderate or severe self-reported pain who request an unscheduled visit on the day they contact the office. The aims of this observational study were to: (A) analyse the rate of same-day endodontic emergencies in two endodontists' private offices, with respect to their demographic, aetiologic, diagnostic and procedural data; and (B) investigate the changes in characteristics of same-day emergencies between March 16 and May 31 annually over five years: 2019-2023.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>Records of 5795 patients were reviewed and 892 same-day emergencies were identified. Overall and year-to-year comparisons of proportions of same-day emergencies, as well as demographic, aetiologic, diagnostic and procedural data were performed using chi-square test of independence followed by adjustments for multiple testing using the Benjamini-Hochberg method.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The rate of same-day endodontic emergencies significantly increased during the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 and remained high in 2021 (p < .05; Q < .05). The rate of same-day emergencies in 2022 subsided to levels comparable to 2019 (p > .05). Year-to-year comparisons of aetiologic factors (caries, restorative, persistent infection and cracks) showed a significant increase only in the rate of cracks in 2020, 2021and 2022 compared with 2019 (p < .05), but this increase did not reach the significance level after adjusting for multiple comparisons throughout the 5 years (Q > .05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a significant increase in the rate of same-day endodontic emergencies for 2 years. The spike in endodontic emergencies associated with the COVID-19 pandemic lasted well beyond the initial period of the outbreak. Further national and international studies are recommended to better understand the long-term impacts of pandemics of respiratory diseases on the public's oral health.</p>","PeriodicalId":13724,"journal":{"name":"International endodontic journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143663270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association between apical periodontitis and psoriasis vulgaris: A cross-sectional study.","authors":"Crystal Marruganti, Giulia Malvicini, Elisa Cinotti, Aurora Fuso, Emanuele Trovato, Pietro Rubegni, Simone Grandini, Carlo Gaeta","doi":"10.1111/iej.14222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.14222","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>To evaluate the prevalence of apical periodontitis (AP) and caries in subjects with psoriasis vulgaris.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>In total, 152 patients with psoriasis vulgaris were included in the study. The severity and extent of psoriasis were assessed according to the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), the Body Surface Area (BSA) and the Physician's Global Assessment Scale (PGA). Periapical status was assessed through dental examination and periapical radiographs. Data regarding the Periapical Index (PAI), caries experience expressed as the Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth Index (DMFT) and psoriasis medications were recorded. A predictive logistic regression model for the presence of AP and a linear regression model were then built to relate the severity and extent of AP to the type of drug therapy taken for psoriasis and to the severity and extent of the skin disease.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Subjects with severe/moderate psoriasis showed a significantly higher prevalence of AP (p = .002) and a higher PAI score (p = .0035) than subjects with mild psoriasis. No significant correlation was found between AP and caries experience (p = .76). The logistic regression model showed that moderate/severe psoriasis increased the odds of having AP [odds ratio (OR) = 1.30 ± 1.088, 1.55]. A negative linear relationship between biological drug intake and PAI score value was observed (coefficient = -.54; p = .04).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The degree of severity of psoriasis is significantly associated with AP, suggesting that psoriasis may play a role in the pathogenesis of AP. However, no significant correlation was observed for caries experience. Furthermore, the immune-modulating drugs taken by these patients did not seem to have different effects on the prevalence of AP.</p>","PeriodicalId":13724,"journal":{"name":"International endodontic journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143663266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Activin a regulates vascular formation and stabilization in direct coculture of dental pulp stem cells and endothelial cells.","authors":"Jialin Zhong, Yuchen Zhang, Shulan Lin, Jun Kang, Mingxin Hu, Junqing Liu, Ying Chen, Qianzhou Jiang, Chengfei Zhang","doi":"10.1111/iej.14226","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.14226","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>Establishing functional circulation on time is crucial to dental pulp tissue regeneration. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could act as mural cells to stabilize newly formed blood vessels, accelerating anastomosis. Our preliminary study found that direct coculture of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) significantly enhanced Activin A secretion. This study aimed to disclose the dynamic patterns of Activin A expression and its regulation on vascular formation and stabilization.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>DPSCs and HUVECs were cocultured directly at a ratio of 1:1 for 3 and 6 days. Activin A and Follistatin expression were evaluated by qRT-PCR and ELISA. HUVECs were exposed to 100 ng/mL Activin A or the conditioned medium (CM) generated from DPSC monoculture and DPSC-HUVEC coculture, respectively. HUVEC proliferation, migration, tube formation and angiogenic sprouting were assessed. In parallel, membrane-bound vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (mVEGFR1 and mVEGFR2) and soluble VEGFR1 (sVEGFR1) were analysed at days 3 and 6.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Activin A expression and secretion were elevated time-dependently during DPSC-HUVEC coculture. Follistatin expression decreased in DPSC-HUVEC coculture while the ratio of Activin A/Follinstain increased significantly. Activin A treatment did not promote DPSC towards smooth muscle cell (SMC)-specific differentiation, while Activin A and DPSC+HUVEC-CM suppressed HUVEC proliferation, migration, tube formation and sprouting. Activin A and DPSC+HUVEC-CM treatment markedly increased mVEGFR1 expression and sVEGFR1 secretion, suppressing HUVEC vascular formation. Activin A IgG partially reversed the effects of DPSC+HUVEC-CM on HUVECs by decreasing VEGFR1 expression and increasing vessel formation. Activin A pretreatment downregulated VEGF-triggered VEGFR2 phosphorylation of HUVECs. INHBA knockdown DPSCs disrupted the stabilization of the preformed HUVEC vascular tube network.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>DPSC-HUVEC direct coculture upregulates Activin A secretion, interrupting VEGF receptors' balance in HUVECs to suppress HUVEC angiogenic sprouting and enhance vascular stabilization. These findings provide novel insights into the paracrine interactions on vascular stabilization of DPSC-HUVEC direct coculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":13724,"journal":{"name":"International endodontic journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143663350","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative analysis of deep dentinal caries microbiota in teeth with normal pulp, reversible pulpitis, symptomatic and asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis.","authors":"Yefei Liu, Jiayang Li, Zhifei Ma, Xin Sui, Huaxing Xu, Xiaoling Wei","doi":"10.1111/iej.14221","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/iej.14221","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Aim: </strong>To characterize the deep dentinal caries microbiota in teeth diagnosed with normal pulp with deep caries (NP), reversible pulpitis (RP), symptomatic irreversible pulpitis (SIP), and asymptomatic irreversible pulpitis (AIP), and to identify potential key pathogens associated with pulpitis progression, exploring their roles in disease advancement.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>In this cross-sectional study, we collected 108 dentinal caries samples, categorized into NP (n = 27), RP (n = 27), SIP (n = 27), and AIP (n = 27), according to the American Association of Endodontists' diagnostic criteria. 2 NP samples and 2 RP samples were excluded due to contamination. Samples were processed using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing. Alpha and beta diversity, taxa abundance differences, co-occurrence network analysis, and functional prediction were evaluated. Correlation analysis between the abundance of bacteria associated with clinical diagnosis, clinical signs, and pulp exposure status was performed with Spearman analysis and the Mantel test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The bacteriome of deep dentinal caries exhibited statistically significant differences among NP, RP, SIP, and AIP groups. NP and RP showed similar microbial community structures, with comparable alpha diversity, beta diversity, bacterial phenotypes, functions, and network structures. In contrast, AIP and SIP displayed distinct microbial community profiles. AIP was characterized by higher alpha diversity and a greater abundance of gram-negative bacteria, with Propionibacterium and Prevotella_7 identified as bacteria associated with AIP pathogenesis. On the other hand, SIP showed lower alpha diversity and a higher abundance of facultative anaerobes, with Lactobacillus and Limosilactobacillus identified as bacteria associated with SIP pathogenesis. Fusobacterium, Prevotella, Treponema, and Selenomonas were identified as bacteria associated with both AIP and SIP. Compared to NP and RP, the microbial networks in AIP and SIP are more complex and contain more gram-negative endodontic pathogens. These pathogens form complex positive correlations with each other and numerous negative correlations with lactic acid bacteria.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The bacteriome of deep dentinal caries differs significantly across teeth diagnosed with NP, RP, AIP, and SIP. NP and RP exhibit similar microbial communities, whereas SIP and AIP display distinct microbial profiles.</p>","PeriodicalId":13724,"journal":{"name":"International endodontic journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143624452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}