title: Periapical cytokine expression in sickle cell disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is the most prevalent genetic disease worldwide. Patients with SCA exhibit increased levels of proinflammatory mediators as part of a permanently activated immunoinflammatory status.
  
  
  METHODS
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the mRNA expression levels of the cytokines interferon (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor, interleukin (IL-1β, IL-17A, IL-10), receptor activator for nuclear factor kappa B ligand, and the chemokines CCL2/MCP-1 and CCL5 in the periapical interstitial fluid from SCA individuals compared with healthy individuals. Samples were collected from 12 teeth of SCA patients and 12 non-SCA patients with apical periodontitis. In addition, 12 teeth were sampled from the periapical region of healthy patients with vital pulp (control). The expression of cytokine mRNA was detected by using real-time polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of mRNA for the Th1-associated cytokines IFN-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, and IL-1β were significantly higher in SCA individuals than in the control individuals (P < .05). Among Th1-associated cytokines, only IFN-γ was significantly increased in non-SCA compared with control patients (vital pulp). The expression of IL-17A mRNA was significant higher in SCA cases than in control samples (P < .05), whereas the IL-10 mRNA expression was significantly increased in SCA and non-SCA individuals when compared with the control group. Similar levels of receptor activator for nuclear factor kappa B ligand, CCL2, and CCL5 mRNA expression were observed in all samples. However, no significant differences were observed in the expression of cytokine or chemokine mRNA between SCA and non-SCA individuals (P > .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results were able to demonstrate that SCA patients presented prone proinflammatory ability, despite the fact that any differences in periapical immune responses between SCA and non-SCA individuals were not observed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Odontologia Restauradora, Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte.
authors.forename: Shirlene Barbosa Pimentel
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Odontologia, Fundação Universidade de Itaúna (FUI), Itaúna.
authors.forename: Luciana Carla Neves
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: de Brito
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Odontologia de Montes Claros, Universidade Estadual de Minas Gerais (UNIMONTES), Montes Claros.
authors.forename: Michelle Pimenta
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Kamilla Faria
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Maciel
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Odontologia de Montes Claros, Universidade Estadual de Minas Gerais (UNIMONTES), Montes Claros.
authors.forename: Hercílio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Martelli Júnior
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Leda Quercia
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Odontologia Restauradora, Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte. Electronic address: sobrinho.bhz@terra.com.br.
authors.forename: Antônio Paulino Ribeiro
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Sobrinho
mesh_terms: D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D010486:Periapical Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines
keywords: Chemokine; cytokine; periapical interstitial fluid; sickle cell anemia