We further detected the main immune-regulatory pathways known in pulpitis in TNF-α-treated A11 cells.15,24 Our data showed that 30 mins after TNF-α treatment, the Erk, p38, and NF-κB signaling was significantly activated in A11 cells, except Jnk signaling (Fig. 3c). This evidence concerns the gene MAPK8 and pulpitis.