FIG. 2.

Comparison of type 1 (IFN-γ) and type 2 (IL-4 and IL-10) cytokine mRNA in pulpal tissues from shallow and deep carious lesions. The presence of detectable cytokine mRNA in the pulps was determined using RT-PCR, and the percentage of positive pulps in the control, shallow-caries, and deep-caries groups is indicated for IFN-γ (shaded bars), IL-4 (striped bars), and IL-10 (open bars). The pulpal tissue was obtained from impacted third molars for controls (n = 16), molars with shallow caries (n = 21), and molars with deep caries (n = 25). ∗, P < 0.05.