NFKB1 and pulpitis: We revealed that microRNA (miR)-21 and miR-146b are highly expressed in experimentally induced rat pulpitis and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human dental pulp cells, and both miRNAs possess anti-inflammatory effects via downregulation of the NF-kB signaling pathway, a major cascade of proinflammatory mediator synthesis (73, 74).