TNFRSF11A and infection: Inflammation and infection of the periapical tissues ultimately leads to bone resorption, which results from enhanced osteoclastogenesis induced through receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B (RANK) ligand and accumulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, e.g., IL-1β, TNF-α, prostaglandin E2 and IL-17 (Zou and Bar-Shavit, 2002; Ritchlin et al., 2003; Suda et al., 2004; AlShwaimi et al., 2013; Rechenberg et al., 2014).