Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) isoenzyme pattern in normal and inflamed human dental pulp

Enzyme variants may serve an adaptive role in providing the correct vectorial properties for the metabolism of a tissue, or broadening its environmental tolerance range. To determine if the LDH isoenzyme pattern of human dental pulp changes during inflammation, supernatants from normal and inflamed dental pulp homogenates were separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Inflamed pulps had a higher M subunit content and a markedly increased enzyme activity. These results might reflect adaptive changes at the enzyme level associated with a partial shift towards anaerobic metabolism during inflammation of the pulp.