Furthermore, KEGG pathway analysis indicated that the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway was the most highly enriched pathway between pulpitis and normal dental tissues, while other classic inflammatory signaling pathways, including the chemokine signaling pathway, cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), Staphylococcus aureus infection, the hematopoietic cell lineage, the TNF signaling pathway, and osteoclast differentiation were also enriched. Here, TNF is linked to pulpitis.