N-acetyl cysteine alleviates inflammatory reaction of oral epithelial cells to poly (methyl methacrylate) extract.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine whether the cytotoxicity of self-curing polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) dental resin to oral epithelial cells was eliminated by mixing the antioxidant amino acid derivative, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) with the material.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Rat and human oral epithelial cells cultured on polystyrene were incubated in culture medium with or without extract from self-curing PMMA dental resin, with or without pre-mixing with NAC. On day 1, the cultures were evaluated for cellular damage, intracellular formaldehyde invasion, cellular redox status and pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Formaldehyde content and the amount of released NAC in the extract were evaluated.

RESULTS

Rat epithelial cells cultured with PMMA extract showed marked increases in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, intracellular formaldehyde and lysosomal levels and reductions in attached cell number and the amount of E-cadherin compared with those in the culture without the extract; these adverse biological effects were alleviated or prevented by pre-mixing the resin with NAC. In human oral epithelial cells cultured with PMMA extract, the addition of NAC into the resin prevented the intracellular elevation of reactive oxygen species and the reduction in cellular glutathione levels. Human cell cultures with the extract produced higher levels of various pro-inflammatory cytokines than cultures without the extract; this was prevented by mixing the resin with NAC. The extract from PMMA pre-mixed with NAC contained a lower concentration of formaldehyde and a substantial amount of antioxidants.

CONCLUSION

The cytotoxicity of self-curing PMMA dental resin to oral epithelial cells was eliminated by mixing the resin with NAC.