title: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and its receptors, p55 and p75, in gingiva of adult periodontitis.
abstract: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, can stimulate matrix metalloproteinase synthesis and osteoclastic bone resorption. We hypothesized that elevated expression of TNF-alpha and its p55 and p75 receptors (TNF-R) in gingival tissue might associate with periodontitis. Immunohistochemistry was used for the study of the localization of TNF-alpha and its p55 and p75 TNF-R in adult periodontitis (AP) gingival tissue, in comparison with that in healthy control specimens. TNF-alpha and p55 TNF-R were detected in sulcular epithelial basal cells and in monocyte/macrophages, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells in the AP gingival tissue specimens, but mainly in fibroblasts and endothelial cells in control specimens. P75 TNF-R was occasionally found in monocyte/macrophage-like cells in gingival tissue specimens. The percentage of TNF-alpha-containing cells was not increased in AP compared with controls (13.2%+/-6.1% vs. 12.8%+/-7.6%), but, due to the increased cellularity of AP samples, the number of TNF-alpha positive cells/mm2 was clearly increased (1621+/-663 vs. 664+/-191, p > 0.001). Thus, AP gingival tissue has an elevated expression of TNF-alpha and especially its p55 receptor, suggesting that TNF-alpha may contribute to tissue degradation in periodontitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine/invärtes medicin, Helsinki University Central Hospital, University of Helsinki, Finland. taina.tervahartiala@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tervahartiala
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Koski
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Häyrinen-Immonen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hietanen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sorsa
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Konttinen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005881:Gingiva / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha