title: Expression of protease-activated receptor-1 and -2 in orofacial granulomatosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) is a rare condition characterized by non-caseating granulomas in the orofacial region. Protease-Activated Receptors (PARs) play a role in inflammatory diseases in diverse human tissues. The aim of the study was to investigate the expression of PAR-1, PAR-2, MMP-2, MMP-9, COX-1, and COX-2 in tissues taken from OFG patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  PAR-1, PAR-2, MMP-2, MMP-9, COX-1, and COX-2 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in biopsies taken from oral Crohn's disease (five cases), Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS) (six cases), cheilitis granulomatosa (five cases) and normal oral mucosa (five cases).
  
  
  RESULTS
  PAR-1 was observed in mononuclear inflammatory cells in edematous/lichenoid lesions, whereas a strong PAR-2 immunostaining was detected in epithelioid histiocytes and giant cells in granulomatous lesions, irrespective of the clinical features (Crohn vs MRS). MMPs and COX-2 were expressed in the inflammatory component of edematous/lichenoid lesions and markedly overexpressed in granulomatous lesions. COX-1 was weakly and variably expressed in both edematous/lichenoid and granulomatous lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, PAR-1 and PAR-2 expressions were related to the intensity and type of inflammatory response but not to the type of clinical lesion. Simultaneous overexpression of PARs, MMPs and COXs suggests synergism among these proinflammatory receptors and enzymes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology and Oncology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. sheyda.ketabchi@unifi.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ketabchi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Massi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ficarra
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rubino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Franchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paglierani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simoni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Capodiferro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Favia
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maiorano
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tarantini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cirino
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santucci
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000473:pathology; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1 / Q000032:analysis; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000032:analysis; D004487:Edema / Q000473:pathology; D015622:Epithelioid Cells / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000473:pathology; D051261:Granulomatosis, Orofacial / Q000473:pathology*; D006644:Histiocytes / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000473:pathology; D017512:Lichenoid Eruptions / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000032:analysis; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000032:analysis; D008556:Melkersson-Rosenthal Syndrome / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D044463:Receptor, PAR-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D044464:Receptor, PAR-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D044463:Receptor, PAR-1; D044464:Receptor, PAR-2; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9