Cell-mediated immune response to dog pulp tissue altered by Proco-Sol via the root canal

Pulp tissue from three experimental dogs was tested for its antigenicity before and after incubation with Proco-Sol sealer (PS). Cell-mediated skin test reactions showed an increased response to pulp that had been incubated in Proco-Sol, washed, and then injected, as compared with pulp or PS alone. In vitro analysis of cell-mediated immune response (lymphocyte proliferation) showed a marked increase when pulp tissue was incubated in PS and washed, as compared to saline-treated pulp. Comparison of the saline-incubated pulp to the PS-altered pulp indicated that the increase in radioactivity was statistically significant at p less than 0.0001. Thus, Proco-Sol sealer altered dog pulp tissue and rendered it antigenically active, and a specific cell-mediated lymphocyte response was produced.