Specific Aims: Utilize an experimental animal (monkey) model system to develop a diagnostic means to evaluate pulpal inflammation subsequent to caries using cellular mediators. Specifically to: 1. Induce the formation of carious lesions in Macaca cynomolgus monkeys by providing a high carbohydrate human diet. 2. Characterize the carious lesions microbiologically at designated natural carious lesion depths. 3. Measure, using immunoassays, the levels of cellular mediators (Polymorphonuclear elastase (PMN-E) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) of inflammation in dentinal fluid of healthy teeth and those with characterized carious lesions. 4. Via immunoassays and immunoelectronmicroscopy, determine the levels ad relative distribution of cellular mediators in the pulpal tissue of healthy teeth and those with characterized carious lesions. 5. Determine the degree of inflammation histopathologically in the pulps of the carious and normal teeth. 6. Determine if there is a statistical relationship among the levels or distribution of cellular mediators in dentinal fluid, the dental pulp, the causative microorganisms, and the degree of histopathologic pulpal inflammation. Ultimately, this program intends to develop a precise diagnostic techniques to accurately access the degree of pulpal inflammation and tissue destruction that occurs subsequent to defined levels of carious insult. This will enable us to accurately predict the pulp's ability to recover from defined levels of carious insult. Further, these finding may lead to the design of measures which will be able to reduce, control or ultimately inhibit, pulpal inflammation as a result of carious insult.
