Immunohistochemical localizations of class II antigens and nerve fibers in human carious teeth: HLA-DR immunoreactivity in Schwann cells

Nerve fibers and class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen-expressing dendritic cells have been known to gather in the dental pulp beneath carious lesions. Significant functional interactions presumably occur between the neural and immune elements. The present study analyzed the morphological relationship between class II-expressing cells and nerve fibers in fuman carious teeth, visualized by a HLA-DR monoclonal antibody and a protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) polyclonal antibody; a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) and an electron microscope were used. In pulps affected by early caries, HLA-DR-positive dendritic cells aggregated mainly in the cell-free zone associated with bundles of PGP 9.5-immunoreactive nerve fibers, In pulps affected by advanced caries, the accumulated HLA-DR-positive cells and PGP 9.5-immunoreactive nerve fibers showed close association with each other especially beneath the odontoblast layer: the cells even embraced the nerve fibers. Intriguingly, class II molecules were recognized not only in dendritic cells but also in the Schwann cells of non-myelinated nerves in the pulp. Using immunoelectron microscopy, class II molecules were localized on the surface of the non-myelinating Schwann cells and also within some vesicles, whereas myelinating Schwann cells lacked this immunoreactivity. PGP 9.5-immunoreactive nerve fibers were also observed densely in the odontoblast layer, and CLSM revealed an intimate association of the nerve fibers and dendritic cells. The immunoreactivity for HLA-DR in Schwann cells depended upon the severity of the carious lesion. Class II-expressing Schwann cells are suggested to function as antigen-presenting cells in addition to dendritic cells.