The involvement of IL-23 and the Th17 pathway in periodontitis.
Interleukin (IL)-23 is an essential cytokine involved in expansion of the Th17 lineage, which is associated with many immune-related destructive tissue diseases. We hypothesized that the IL-23-induced Th17 pathway plays a role in periodontal pathology and examined the expression of cytokines, and related molecules, in periodontal lesions and control sites. IL-23 and IL-12 were expressed at significantly higher levels in periodontal lesions than in control sites. However, the relative expression of the IL-23 receptor compared with the IL-12 receptor beta2 was significantly higher in periodontal lesions. Moreover, IL-17 expression was significantly higher in periodontal lesions, especially in the tissue adjacent to bone destruction, than in control sites. There was no significant difference in the expression levels of IFN-gamma, an important cytokine inhibiting differentiation toward the Th17 pathway, between periodontal lesions and control sites. Together, these results suggest that the IL-23-induced Th17 pathway is stimulated in inflammatory periodontal lesions.
Ohyama
H
H
Department of Pathology, Hyogo College of Medicine, 1-1 Mukogawa-cho, Nishinomiya 663-8501, Japan. ohyama@hyo-med.ac.jp
Kato-Kogoe
N
N
Kuhara
A
A
Nishimura
F
F
Nakasho
K
K
Yamanegi
K
K
Yamada
N
N
Hata
M
M
Yamane
J
J
Terada
N
N
D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053707:Receptors, Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis
C515500:IL23R protein, human; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053759:Interleukin-23; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D053707:Receptors, Interleukin-12; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma