Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate periapical inflammation through immunohistochemical analysis of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-a) expression resulting from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced apical periodontitis in diabetes mellitus rats, observed at 14, 28, and 42 days. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diabetes model on rats was induced by streptozotocin (STZ). Fifteen rats were injected with low-dose STZ for 5 days and waited for 5 days until the blood glucose level was stable and measured above 300 mg/dL confirmed by a digital glucometer. LPS was used to induce apical periodontitis. After performing access cavity, pulpal and root canal extirpation was done on the right mandibular first molar's root canal space of rats, under anesthesia. LPS of 1 mg/mL dose was induced in the pulpal and root canal space. Apical periodontitis was expected 14 days afterward and then, the rats were randomly allocated to three groups. The first group was terminated 14 days after induction and used as control. The second group was observed 28 days after induction, and the third group was observed 42 days after induction. IL-6 and TNF-a expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on macrophages in the periapical area. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and continued with the post hoc Tukey HSD test. Significance was considered if p < 0.05. RESULTS: LPS induced apical periodontitis in diabetes mellitus rats at control (14 days), 28 and 42 days observation showed a significant increase in the expression of IL-6 and TNF-a. There were significant differences between the control and observed groups (p < 0.05). The expression of IL-6 in the apical area was not significant at 14 and 28 days (p > 0.05) but increased significantly at 42 days (p < 0.05). The expression of TNF-a in the apical area was significantly increased after 14 days (p < 0.05) and remained stable at 28 and 42 days (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The periapical inflammation of LPS-induced apical periodontitis in diabetes mellitus rats increased macrophages' expression of IL-6 at 42 days and TNF-a at 28 days.