Effect of polyacrylic acid on dentin protease activities

Objective This study tested whether treatment of demineralized dentin with polyacrylic acid (PAA) has any activatory or inhibitory activity on dentin matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)s or cathepsin K (CAT-K). Methods Dentin beams (1 mm × 2 mm × 6 mm; n = 10) were completely demineralized with EDTA. After initial dry mass assessment, the beams were dipped into 37% phosphoric acid (PA), PA + 2% benzalkonium chloride (BAC), PA + 2% chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), 10% PAA, PAA + BAC or PAA + CHX for 20 s. Demineralized beams without treatment served as control. All beams were incubated in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 1 week and the dry mass loss was evaluated. Aliquots of SBF were used to analyze solubilized telopeptide fragments using ICTP as indicator of MMP-mediated collagen degradation and CTX for CAT-K-mediated degradation. Additional demineralized beams (n = 10) were used to measure the influence of different chemical treatments on total MMP activity of EDTA-demineralized dentin using generic MMP assay. Data were analyzed by ANOVA (α = 0.05). Results Dry mass loss ranged from 6% (PA) to 2% for (PA-BAC) or (PAA-BAC) (p < 0.05). ICTP release of PAA-treated group was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the control, and not significantly different from the PA group (p > 0.05). PA + CHX or PAA + CHX and PAA + BAC showed significantly lower ICTP than PA or PAA groups (p < 0.05). CAT-K activity increased significantly after 10% PAA treatment compared to control (p < 0.05) or to PA postreatment. Significance Demineralized dentin treated with 10% polyacrylic acid activated CAT-K more than 37% phosphoric acid; 2% chlorhexidine digluconate seems to be a better inhibitor of MMPs and CAT-K than 2% benzalkonium chloride.