The Role of microRNAs in Pulp Inflammation

Abstract

The dental pulp can be affected by thermal, physical, chemical, and bacterial phenomena that stimulate the inflammatory response. The pulp tissue produces an immunological, cellular, and vascular reaction in an attempt to defend itself and resolve the affected tissue. The expression of different microRNAs during pulp inflammation has been previously documented. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous small molecules involved in the transcription of genes that regulate the immune system and the inflammatory response. They are present in cellular and physiological functions, as well as in the pathogenesis of human diseases, becoming potential biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring, and safety. Previous studies have evidenced the different roles played by miRNAs in proinflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and immunological phenomena in the dental pulp, highlighting specific key functions of pulp pathology. This systematized review aims to provide an understanding of the role of the different microRNAs detected in the pulp and their effects on the expression of the different target genes that are involved during pulp inflammation.