Endothelial cell adhesion molecules in human dental pulp: a comparative immunohistochemical study on chronic periodontitis.

Migration of leukocytes to inflammation sites through vascular endothelium is controlled by the interactions of adhesion molecules expressed on both endothelial cells and leukocytes, most of which are already covered by cluster of differentiation (CD) codes. We examined the expression of a variety of endothelial cell adhesion molecules in human dental pulp vasculature to obtain further evidence on the tissue distribution and function of these molecules by using an indirect immunoperoxidase technique. We obtained the pulp tissue samples from teeth extracted due to orthodontic reasons as controls and compared with those extracted due to chronic periodontitis. In all samples, both CD31 and CD146 were expressed by arterial, venous, and capillary endothelia. There was no significant difference between the staining intensity of normal and inflamed pulp tissues. CD102 expression on the endothelium was significantly stronger in chronic periodontitis pulp samples. CD106, CD62-E, CD62-P, CD105, and CD54 were variably expressed in control and chronic periodontitis groups. Our results indicate that CD102 represents the major endothelial cell adhesion molecule probably involved in the inflammatory reactions in chronic periodontitis.