title: Immunohistochemical detection of Langerhans cells in dental granulomas and radicular cysts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dental granulomas (DGs) and radicular cysts (RCs) are chronic periapical lesions frequently involving the jaws. Langerhans cells (LCs) are dendritic cells responsible for the presentation of antigens to T lymphocytes. This study examined the expression of LCs in DG and RCs by immunohistochemical staining.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen cases of DGs and 26 cases of RCs were analyzed using anti-CD1a marker.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD1a-labeled LCs were observed in 11.1% of DGs and in 69.2% of RCs, showing a significant correlation (P < 0.0001; Fisher's test). In DGs, LCs were only observed in granulation tissue, showing discrete immunostaining density. In RCs, LCs exhibited both a round and a dendritic shape in all epithelial layers. Although a correlation was observed between immunostaining density and epithelial thickness, as well as between immunostaining and inflammatory intensity, the differences were not significant in radicular cysts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Langerhans cells provide important insight into the immunopathogenesis of chronic periapical lesions.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciano Cincurá
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Eduardo Antônio Gonçalves
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Clarissa Araújo Silva
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gurgel
authors.forename: Edmar José Borges
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: de Santana
authors.forename: Jean Nunes
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010484:Periapical Granuloma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011842:Radicular Cyst / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018949:Antigens, CD1; C419393:CD1a antigen