title: Salivary interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in patients with recurrent aphthous ulceration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recurrent apthous ulceration (RAU) is a well known oral disease which seems to be mediated principally by the immune system. However, it is still a matter of debate which part of the immune system is implicated in its pathogenesis as a reaction to the still unknown antigen. The aim of this study was to evaluate salivary cytokines, interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 26 patients with minor RAU, age range of 23-49 years (mean 27.3 years), during both the acute phase and remission and in 26 healthy controls, age range of 22-64 years (mean 30.1 years), salivary IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels were determined by use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analysis was performed by use of descriptive statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences in salivary TNF-alpha between healthy controls and patients with acute RAU and during the remission period were found (P < 0.001) as well as between patients with acute RAU and those during the remission period (P < 0.001). No differences in salivary IL-6 between all three groups could be found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We might conclude that elevated salivary TNF-alpha levels during acute RAU and especially during the remission period are of importance in RAU, whereas salivary IL-6 levels seem not to play a role in the RAU disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Gundulićeva, Croatia. vvboras@hotmail.com
authors.forename: V Vucićević
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Boras
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lukac
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brailo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Picek
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kordić
authors.forename: I Alajbeg
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Zilić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha