2025 年 59 巻 2 号 p. 263-268
Pulpitis most often develops when microorganism invade the dental pulp cavity as a result of various factors, including caries. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, an inflammatory cytokine secreted during immune responses, plays a central role in pulpitis development. Interleukin (IL)-6 is a cytokine with various physiological functions, including immune control, inflammatory control, and bone metabolism. We assessed the effect of TNF-α on IL-6 production and signaling using human dental pulp-derived fibroblasts (HDPFs). We found that, TNF-α promoted IL-6 production. It also promoted the transforming growth factor β-activated kinase (TAK)-1 phosphorylation, which peaked 10 minutes after stimulation. Phosphorylation was also promoted by mitogen-activated protein kinases downstream of TAK1. Overall, our results suggest that TNF-α promotes IL-6 production in HDPFs through a mechanism mediated by the phosphorylation of TAK1 and mitogen-activated protein kinases. (J Osaka Dent Univ 2025; 59: 263-268)
