IL-17 is involved in bone resorption in mouse periapical lesions

Periapical lesions are induced by bacterial infection of the dental pulp and result in destruction of the surrounding alveolar bone. Although various immunological studies concerning periapical bone resorption have been reported, the role of cytokines in the formation of periapical lesions remains unclear. In this study, the role of IL-17A in periapical lesions in mice was investigated. Normal C57BL/6, IFN-gamma(-/-), TNF-alpha(-/-), and IL-17A(-/-) mice were subjected to pulp exposure and infected with Prevotella intermedia (ATCC25611) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (ATCC33277) in the mandibular first molar. Periapical lesions were determined by muCT on day 21 after infection, and 3D visual construction was performed using 3D picture quantification software. The expression of IL-17A mRNA in periapical lesions was determined by the RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR method. Periapical lesions developed in wild-type, IFN-gamma(-/-), and TNF-alpha(-/-) mice after infection with P. intermedia and P. gingivalis. However, periapical lesions were not observed in IL-17A(-/-) mice. The expression of IL-17A mRNA was significantly induced in periapical lesions of wild-type mice after infection. These results suggest that IL-17A, but not IFN-gamma or TNF-alpha, plays an important role in the formation of periapical lesions.