Change of arachidonic acid metabolism in inflamed rat dental pulp.

The profile of arachidonic acid metabolism in rat dental pulp was studied with a cell-free system. Conversion of exogenously added radioactive arachidonic acid was measured by using thin-layer chromatography. Normal dental pulp could mainly produce 6-keto-PGF1α and 12- or 15-HETE like lipoxygenase product. When rat dental pulp was experimentally inflamed by applying bacterial lipopolysaccharide, increase of arachidonic acid metabolizing activity was observed. Especially PGE2 producing activity was elevated 9.3-fold compared with that of the normal. It was suggested that arachidonic acid metabolites were involved in the development of pulpal inflammation.