Expression of stem cell factor in mast cells isolated from patients with chronic periapical diseases / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate the expression of stem cell factor (SCF) in tryptase -positive mast cells ( MCs) in different types of human periapical diseases for determining the role of SCF and MCs in the pathogenesis of peria-pical diseases.METHODS: A total 50 cases of specimens were involved in this study, including healthy control (n=20), periapical cyst (n=15) and periapical granuloma (n=15).The tissue material was fixed in 10%formalin for at least 48 h, stained with hematoxylin and eosin for the observation of histopathology, stained with immunohistochemistry for identifying MCs and MCs degranulation, and stained with double immunofluorescence for identification of tryptase-SCF double positive MCs.RESULTS:Compared with healthy control, significantly higher densities of both total and degranu-lated MCs in human periapical lesions were observed.The densities of both total and degranulated MCs in the periapical cyst were significantly higher than that in the periapical granuloma.The density of tryptase-SCF double positive MCs in the periapical lesions was significantly higher than that in the healthy controls.The density oftryptase-SCF double positive MCs in the periapical cyst was significantly higher than that in periapical granuloma.No significant difference in the density of MCs between immunohistochemistry staining and double immunofluorescence staining was observed.CONCLUSION:The tryptase-SCF double positive MCs play an active role in the pathogenesis of the periapical inflammatory lesions, particularly in the formation of fibrous tissue in periapical cyst.The potential role of the tryptase-SCF double positive MCs relates with the initiation, development, and persistence of the periapical inflammatory process.