title: Immunophenotype in orofacial granulomatosis with and without Crohn's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this investigation was to characterise and compare the inflammatory infiltrates in patients with orofacial granulomatosis solely (OFG-S) and OFG with coexisting Crohn's disease (OFG+CD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Biopsy specimens with granulomas were obtained from patients with OFG-S (n=11) and OFG+CD (n=11) and immunostained with antibodies against CD1a, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD11c, CD20, CD68 and mast cell tryptase, followed by quantitative analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses of the connective tissue revealed a significantly higher number of CD3-expressing T cells and CD11c-expressing dendritic cells in the connective tissue of patients with OFG-S compared to patients with OFG+CD. Mast cells displayed a high level of activation, although no significant difference was detected when comparing the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show a different composition of the inflammatory infiltrate in patients with OFG-S compared to patients with OFG+CD. The present observations support that partly-divergent immune mechanisms are involved in these two different subcategories of OFG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Pathology, Institute of Odontology The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Box 450, SE405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden, gita.gale@odontologi.gu.se.
authors.forename: Gita
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gale
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ostman
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saalman
authors.forename: Esbjörn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Telemo
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jontell
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hasséus
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D051261:Granulomatosis, Orofacial / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult