T lymphocyte activation and cytokine expression in periapical granulomas and radicular cysts.
BACKGROUND
Radicular cysts (RCs) are periapical lesions resulting in jaw bone destruction. The inflammatory dental periapical granuloma (PG) is considered to be the origin of RC formation; however the mechanism of RC development remains unclear.


METHODS
Cell suspension from the surgically extirpated tissue of 27 RCs and 25 PGs was obtained. Bacteriological analysis of the PG tissue samples was performed in order to define two major groups of PG according to the prevailing causative bacterial infection: the streptococcal PG (PG-S, n=10) and the anaerobe PG (PG-A, n=9) group. The inflammatory response of tissue infiltrating lymphocytes was assessed by following T lymphocyte activation (HLA-DR expression) as well as interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin 4 (IL-4) production which were evaluated by the flow cytometry.


RESULTS
In comparison to RC both types of PG contained a higher proportion of activated T cells (HLA-DR) and lower proportion of IL-4 producing cells. PG-A tissue contained increased percentage of CD3 cells and increased percentage of T helper 1 (Th1) cells in comparison with PG-S. In RC the IFN-gamma production is higher than in streptococcal PG-S but similar as in PG-A.


CONCLUSIONS
Tissue infiltration by Th2 cells and IL-4 production is likely to play an etiopathogenic role in RC formation.
Ihan Hren
N
N
Clinical Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Zaloska 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. natasa.ihan-hren@mf.uni-lj.si
Ihan
A
A
D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D010484:Periapical Granuloma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D011842:Radicular Cyst / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques
D016207:Cytokines; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma