Proinflammatory Cytokine Expression in Apical Periodontitis from Diabetic Patients.

Diabetes mellitus has been regarded as a condition capable of influencing the evolution of periapical lesions. Therefore, this study evaluated the immunoexpression of IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-17 in apical periodontitis from type 2 diabetic patients through immunohistochemistry. Twenty-six periapical lesions were selected, and the images obtained through immunohistochemistry reactions were analyzed. The statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. IL-1ß expression was considered focal (54%), weak to moderate (38%), and strong (8%) in diabetics, and focal (46%), weak to moderate (31%), and strong (23%), in controls. TNF-α was focal (85%) and weak to moderate (15%) in diabetics, and focal (92%) and weak to moderate (8%), in controls. IL-17 was focal (8%), weak to moderate (46%), and strong (46%) in diabetics, and focal (62%), weak to moderate (8%), and strong (30%), in controls. The quantitative analysis revealed greater expression of IL-17, with a significant difference between IL-17 × IL-1ß × TNF-α(p=0.0009) in the diabetic group. The cytokines IL-1ß and TNF-α did not express statistical differences between the tested groups. The IL-17 showed higher immunoexpression in the diabetic group (p=0.047), which may suggest higher bone resorption activity in chronic apical periodontitis in this group of patients.

A multicenter study of oral sarcomas in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of oral sarcomas from geographic regions of Brazil. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on biopsies obtained from January 2007 to December 2016 at twelve Brazilian oral and maxillofacial pathology centres. Gender, age, evolution time, clinical aspects, tumour location, tumour size at diagnosis, radiographic aspects and histopathological diagnosis were evaluated. Data were analysed using descriptive statistical methods. RESULTS: From 176,537, a total of 200 (0.11%) oral sarcomas were reported, and the most prevalent were osteosarcomas (74 cases; 37%) and Kaposi's sarcomas (52 cases; 26%). Males were more affected than females at a mean age of 32.2 years old (range of 3-87 years). The most common symptoms were swelling¸ localised pain and bleeding at a mean evolution time of 5.14 months (range <1-156 months). The lesions were mostly observed in the mandible (90 cases; 45%), with a mean tumour size of 3.4 cm (range of 0.3-15 cm). Radiographically, the lesions presented a radiolucent aspect showing cortical bone destruction and ill-defined limits. CONCLUSIONS: Oral sarcomas are rare lesions with more than 50 described subtypes. Osteosarcomas and Kaposi's sarcomas were the main sarcomas of the oral cavity in Brazil.

Comparative immunoexpression of ICAM-1, TGF-Beta1 and ki-67 in periapical and residual cysts

BACKGROUND: This study compared the immunohistochemical expression of ki-67, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-Beta 1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in inflammatory periapical cysts and residual cysts. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study sample was composed by 25 periapical cysts and 25 residual cysts and immunohistochemical reactions were carried out using antibodies directed against ICAM-1, TGF-β1 and ki- 67. Clinical, radiological, gross, histological and immunohistochemical data were tabulated for descriptive and comparative analysis using the SPSS software and differences were considered statistically significant when p < 0.05%. RESULTS: There were no differences between the expression of ICAM-1 (p = 0.239) and TGF-β1 (p = 0.258) when comparing both groups. Ki-67 labeling index was higher in residual cysts compared to periapical cysts (p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Results from the present study suggest that some specific inflammatory stimuli on residual cysts would modulate their mechanisms of etiopathogenesis, growing and repair

Incorporation and Remodeling of Bone Block Allografts in the Maxillary Reconstruction: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Severe alveolar atrophy often presents a challenge for the implant surgery. The significant lack of bone in the alveolar ridges may compromise the final restorations both from the aesthetic and functional standpoints. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the behavior of bone block allografts for the maxillary augmentation and to investigate its incorporation, remodeling, and implant survival rates in two different healing time points. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty-six consecutive patients (52 female/14 male, mean age: 57.95 ± 9.06 years old), presenting 113 atrophic alveolar ridges underwent maxillary augmentation with fresh-frozen allogeneic bone blocks from tibia. Patients were randomly assigned in two groups: Group 1-patients who would wait 4 months for implant placement after grafting, and Group 2-patients who would wait 6 months. Events of infection, suture dehiscence or mucosal perforation were recorded. Cone-beam computed tomography scans were compared volumetrically between the time of the grafting surgery and reentry procedure after incorporation. Biopsies were collected and subjected to histological, histomorphometric and immunehistochemical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 305 implants were placed in the reconstructed sites. The mean resorption rate in Group 1 (13.98% ± 5.59) was significantly lower than Group 2 (31.52% ± 6.31). The amount of calcified tissue, newly formed bone and remaining graft particles demonstrated no difference between groups. The samples showed evident immunolabeling for the podoplanin protein in both groups. The implants cumulative survival rate was 94.76%. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present study indicate that there is a significant difference regarding the resorption of the grafts when waiting 4 or 6 months before placing the implants, even though no difference was found in the histological, histomorphometric, and immunohistochemical features. Both 4-month and 6-months healing times are suitable for the implant placement.

Clinical and laboratorial profile and histological features on minor salivary glands from patients under investigation for Sjögren’s syndrome

Diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is complex and the usefulness of labial minor salivary glands biopsy in this process remains controversial. OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the clinical and laboratorial profile and histological features on labial minor salivary glands from patients under investigation of SS. Study DESIGN: clinical charts from 38 patients under suspicion of SS and submitted to labial minor salivary glands biopsies were reviewed. Clinical and laboratorial data were retrieved from the clinical files and the HE-stained histological slides were reviewed under light microscopy. RESULTS: mean age of the patients was 56.5 years and 97% were females; histological analysis showed that 42% of the cases showed ductal dilatation, lymphocytic foci were found in 52.6% and, from this group, 80% of the cases presented a foci/lobules ratio above 0.8. Acinar/ductal ratio was considered diminished in 39.5% of the samples. Thirty six (95%) and 32 (84%) patients, respectively, complained about xerostomia and xerophthalmia. A study of the time interval of the symptoms that led to SS investigation showed a mean of 116 months. Moreover, sixty-six percent of the patients had already been submitted to immunosuppressive therapy prior to the labial minor salivary gland biopsy. Age of the patients, scintigraphic alterations on salivary function, antinuclear factor (ANF), anti-Ro and anti-La did not show statistical significant association with the histological features. Lobules/foci ratio above 0.8 was the only histological parameter statistically associated with Sjögren's syndrome diagnosis (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: in the studied sample, lymphocytic foci on salivary glands were the only histological parameter as-sociated to the diagnosis of SS. Early indication of labial minor salivary gland biopsy to patients under investiga-tion of SS could limit the effects of immunosuppressive therapy on the histological features associated with the evolution of salivary gland involvement in SS