[Biochemical study of the dental pulp in the calf]

A biochemical study of dental pulp of calves has been performed concerning: a) peroxydability b) A, E, C vitamins content c) glutation (GSH) content d) presence of paramagnetic compounds e) phosphorylation ratio The dental pulp from incisors of 5-months-old calves has been preserved. Immediately after decapitation the pulp was immersed in liquid nitrogen. Chromatographic (HPLC) and spectroscopic (NMR-ESR) techniques have been used. GSH in dental pulp are present and dosable (4.56 +/- 0.08 n moles/mg prot.) and GSSG (1.05 +/- 0.01 n moles/mg prot.). Because of blood traces in the extracted pulps, the AA. have determined the hemoglobin (Hb) dosage and GSH of erythrocytic derivation (Fig. 1). After deduction of GSH of erythrocytic derivation, the GSH really present in the pulp was 4.41 n moles/mg prot. and the GSSG was 0.90 n moles/mg prot. Peroxydability of the dental pulp has been evaluated with Lowry method with dental pulp homogenate and rat liver homogenate (see Table 1). The ESR spectre shows 4 resonances with the following values: g. 2.24-2.04-2.00-1.97; there are some free intermediary radicals (gr.-2.00) (Fig.2). The NMR spectre shows the presence of ATP (0.22 n moles/g) of inorganic phosphate (16.58 n moles g) (Fig.3). The pulp seems to have a lot of antioxidant factors. The next researches will be to study E, A and C vitamins concentrations. This high presence of GSH and GSSG may be an embryonic peculiarity.