title: Age-related alteration of expression and function of TLRs and NK activity in oral candidiasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Roles of aging or immune responses mediated by Toll-like receptors and natural killer cell in the onset or progression of human candidiasis remain unclear. This study was designed to elucidate the roles using peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors and patients with oral candidiasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects tested were healthy volunteers and patients who visited Dental Clinical Division of Hokkaido University Hospital. The patients with oral candidiasis included 39 individuals (25-89 years of age) with major complaints on pain in oral mucosa and/or dysgeusia. Healthy volunteers include students (25-35 years of age) and teaching staffs (50-65 years of age) of Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Functions of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 were downregulated significantly and the natural killer activity was slightly, but not significantly downregulated in aged healthy volunteers compared with healthy young volunteers. Functions of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 and the natural killer activity were significantly downregulated in patients with oral candidiasis compared with healthy volunteers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Downregulation of functions of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 as well as natural killer activity is suggested to be associated with the onset or progression of oral candidiasis in human.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Diagnosis, Department of Oral Pathobiological Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Japan.|Division of Oral Molecular Microbiology, Department of Oral Pathobiological Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oouchi
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Molecular Microbiology, Department of Oral Pathobiological Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasebe
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Diagnosis, Department of Oral Pathobiological Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Molecular Microbiology, Department of Oral Pathobiological Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Segawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerondontology, Division of Oral Health Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomaterials and Bioengineering, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Diagnosis, Department of Oral Pathobiological Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Molecular Microbiology, Department of Oral Pathobiological Science, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Dental Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K-I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Shibata
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002180:Candidiasis, Oral / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
keywords: natural killer cell activity; oral candidiasis; toll-like receptors