title: Mast cells and its relation to collagen and VEGF in oral inflammatory lesions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the population of intact and degranulated MCs in oral inflammatory lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross sectional study of 48 samples, including inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia, pyogenic granulomas, periapical granulomas and radicular cysts, was performed. Samples of normal gingival mucosa were used as controls. The degree of edema and lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate was determined by the analysis of hematoxylin-eosin (HE)-stained sections. To determine the collagen fibers contents and correlate it with the MC count, sections stained with Sirius red and Toluidine blue were used. Immunohistochemistry with an antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was also used to count endothelial cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the total number of intact MCs was higher in the oral inflammatory lesions, these differences were not statistically significant (P=0.33). There were statistically significant differences between the numbers of degranulated MCs from the lesions and those from the normal oral mucosae (P=0.001) and a positive correlation between the number of MCs and the degree of inflammation (P<0.001). The MC count did not correlate with the collagen fibers or VEGF positive cells (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The involvement of MCs in the pathogenesis of the oral inflammatory lesions is suggested. However, there was no positive correlation with these cells and collagen fibers or angiogenesis in the lesions studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Bahiana School of Medicine and Public Health, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil - alenamedrado@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Kariza V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Correia
authors.forename: Ana C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Camila S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Viena
authors.forename: Flávia G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Wanderley
authors.forename: Sílvia R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: DE Almeida Reis
authors.forename: Alena R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Medrado
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002452:Cell Count; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017789:Granuloma, Pyogenic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism; D010484:Periapical Granuloma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011842:Radicular Cyst / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D003094:Collagen