Expression of TNF-α and RANTES in drug-induced human gingival overgrowth.
OBJECTIVE
Regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) is a chemokine that is produced by fibroblasts, lymphoid and epithelial cells of the mucosa in response to various external stimuli. RANTES expression has been demonstrated in a variety of diseases characterized by inflammation, including asthma, transplantationassociated accelerated atherosclerosis, endometriosis and fibrosis. RANTES mRNA is quickly up-regulated by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α stimulation. Cyclosporine A (CsA) is widely used in organ transplant patients, often causing various side-effects including gingival overgrowth, which is fibrotic in nature. This study was carried out to assess the mRNA expression of TNF-α and RANTES in healthy individual, chronic periodontitis and CsAinduced gingival overgrowth tissues.


METHODS
Gingival tissue samples were collected from chronic periodontitis, CsAinduced gingival overgrowth patients and healthy individuals. Total RNA was isolated and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed for TNF-α and RANTES expression.


RESULTS
The results suggest that CsAinduced gingival overgrowth tissues expressed significantly increased TNF-α and RANTES compared to control and chronic periodontitis.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of the present study suggest that CsA can modify the expression of TNF-α and RANTES in drug-induced human gingival overgrowth.
Subramani
Tamilselvan
T
Department of Periodontics, Sri Ramachandra Dental College and Hospital, Porur, Chennai - 600 116, India.
Dhanaraj
Loganathan
L
Senthilkumar
Kamatchiammal
K
Periasamy
Soundararajan
S
Abraham
Georgi
G
Rao
Suresh
S