Upregulation of transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1 receptor expression in oral lichen planus.
OBJECTIVE
Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the oral mucosa. Its etiology is still unclear. Neurogenic components might contribute to the inflammatory process. The oral mucosa is richly innervated by sensory fibers. Mediators secreted by inflammatory cells activate sensory nerves via transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1) and lead to the release of neuropeptides. So far, TRPV1 receptor expression was detected on neurons. Only recently, TRPV1 receptors were identified in nonneuronal tissues. The aim of the present study was to detect the presence of TRPV1 receptors and peripheral expression of receptor mRNA in normal oral mucosa and mucous membranes from OLP patients.


METHODS
Presence of TRPV1 receptor proteins in the mucosal tissue was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Expression of TRPV1 receptor mRNA was determined by quantitative RT-PCR.


RESULTS
We provided qualitative and quantitative immunohistochemical evidence that TRPV1 receptors are present in normal human oral mucosa and that their expression is increased in OLP. The number of immunopositive cells was elevated in the epithelium, and vascular endothelial cells, lymphocytes and fibroblasts of the subepithelium were also labeled in samples obtained from OLP patients. The local expression of nonneuronal TRPV1 receptors was proven at mRNA level using quantitative real-time RT-PCR.


CONCLUSIONS
Since the number of TRPV1 receptor-positive nonneural cells is increased in inflammatory conditions, we hypothesize that TRPV1-receptor-mediated processes might play role in the pathogenesis of OLP.
Bán
Agnes
A
Department of Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
Marincsák
Rita
R
Bíró
Tamás
T
Perkecz
Anikó
A
Gömöri
Eva
E
Sándor
Katalin
K
Tóth
István Balázs
IB
Bánvölgyi
Agnes
A
Szolcsányi
János
J
Pintér
Erika
E
D000328:Adult; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C494482:TRPV1 protein, human