Microarray evaluation of gene expression profiles in inflamed and healthy human dental pulp: the role of IL1beta and CD40 in pulp inflammation.

Dental pulp undergoes a number of changes passing from healthy status to inflammation due to deep decay. These changes are regulated by several genes resulting differently expressed in inflamed and healthy dental pulp, and the knowledge of the processes underlying this differential expression is of great relevance in the identification of the pathogenesis of the disease. In this study, the gene expression profile of inflamed and healthy dental pulps were compared by microarray analysis, and data obtained were analyzed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software. This analysis allows to focus on a variety of genes, typically expressed in inflamed tissues. The comparison analysis showed an increased expression of several genes in inflamed pulp, among which IL1β and CD40 resulted of particular interest. These results indicate that gene expression profile of human dental pulp in different physiological and pathological conditions may become an useful tool for improving our knowledge about processes regulating pulp inflammation.

SEM analysis of oral lichen planus before and after treatment with 13 cis-retinoic acid.

Cancer of the oral cavity is a frequent worldwide neoplasia, averaging 4% in men and 2% in women. Cancer of the oral cavity is often preceded by particular epithelial lesions, called precancerous lesions. The aim of this study is to evaluate, by SEM microscope analysis, before and after treatment with 0.1% 13-cis-retinoic, the morphostructural variation of the surface of the oral mucous affected by lichen planus in respect to healthy oral mucous. Following topical therapy with 0.1% 13-cis-retinoic acid for 8 weeks, a restoration of the physiological morphostructure was observed by SEM, demonstrating the efficaciousness of the treatment and the SEM analysis for identifying the lesions of oral epithelium.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of CD31 in human cystic radicular lesions and in keratocysts.

Platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 protein (PECAM-1/CD31) is expressed in numerous physiological and pathological processes characterized by an increase of vascular permeability, and in normal and tumour tissues. CD31, member of the immunoglobulin super-family that mediates cell-to-cell adhesion, is a transmembrane glycoprotein, 130-140 kDa, also know as platelet-endothelium cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1). CD31 is a ligand for CD38 and plays a role in thrombosis and angiogenesis. CD31 is strongly expressed in endothelial cells and weakly expressed in megakaryocytes, platelets, occasional plasma cells, lymphocytes (marginal zone B-cells, peripheral T-cells) and neutrophils. The present study evaluates the angiogenetic processes which are accompanied by an expansion of cystic radicular and keratocystic lesions of the jaw bone. Twelve subjects with maxillary cysts (8 males and 4 females) with an average age of 43 years were selected by the Chieti University Oral Surgery Department. The surgical samples taken were subjected to histological and immunohistochemical analysis. The histological evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of radicular cystisis and keratocystisis. The immunohistochemical analyses were positive for CD31 protein in all the lesions analysed, even though they had different intensities. Using a semiquantive analysis it was possible to highlight, in the radicular cyst samples, an intense expression of the vascular component both in the inflamed area and the adjacent stroma. The lesions with cheratin content showed newly-formed, rather modest, vascularity both in the area showing slight inflammation, where the cellular component is prevalent, and in the adjacent areas showing no sign of inflammation. Therefore, in our observations, angiogenesis could take on a primary role in the development of cystic lesions of the jaw bones. The differences of CD31 expression, in all samples, would advise for a wider monitoring able to evaluate the possible use of such a protein as a diagnostic marker.

The role of apoptosis and bcl-2 protein in topical treatment of oral leukoplakia with isotretinoin.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the role of bcl-2 protein, as well as, of apoptotic bodies in the topical treatment of oral leucoplakia with 13-cis-retinoic acid (isotretinoin). To test this role, a clinical, histological and immunohistochemical study of the treated lesions was carried out, so as to verify the role of apoptosis and its genetic control mechanism of the development, progression and therapy of preneoplastic lesions. METHODS: A Double-blind study was carried out on 15 patients afflicted with oral leukoplakia. They were treated daily (3 topical applications) with 0.1% isotretinoin gel or a placebo for 4 months. Afterwards, the patients treated with placebo were administered the active medication for an additional 4 month period. RESULTS: All the patients, with the exception of one patient who was lost to follow-up, who finished the treatment, showed a marked improvement of the dimension and the clinical aspect of the lesions (3 total remission, 11 improvement of the size and clinical appearance of the lesion of 50% or more). The immunohistochemical analysis for bcl-2 protein showed a weak positive reaction of the level in the basal membrane of the specimens collected before the pharmacological treatment; after the pharmacological treatment almost all the specimens with the exception of one, tested completely negative for bcl-2 protein. In the specimens collected before the pharmacological treatment only a few apoptotic bodies were observed, while after treatment the samples showed a noticeable increase of apoptotic bodies. CONCLUSIONS: A statistical analysis showed that the difference in the positive reaction to bcl-2 protein between the 2 groups is not statistically significant (p = 0.132). On the other hand, the difference in the count of apoptotic bodies between the 2 groups is statistically significant (p = 0.0193).

[Bcl-2, p53, Ki-67 and apoptotic index in cancerous and precancerous lesions of the oral mucosa]. / Bcl-2, p53, Ki-67 ed indice aptoptico nelle lesioni preneoplastiche e neoplastiche della mucosa orale.

BACKGROUND: In this study an immunohistochemical analysis of both normal and pathological tissues was made to investigate the expression of some factors involved in genic regulation mechanisms of apoptosis. METHODS: In normal mucosa, in leukoplakia, in mild and severe dysplasia and in high, mild and low grade cancer a bcl-2, p53, and Ki 67 evaluation was made using immunostaining techniques; also an evaluation of apoptotic index was carried out. Seventy-two biopsies were made in 12 patients with normal mucosa, 12 affected by leukoplakia, 12 by dysplasia (6 mild, 6 severe), 12 by low grade, 12 by mild grade and 12 by high grade cancer. > t RESULTS: The immunohistochemical analysis pointed out that there was weak bcl-2 expression in normal mucosa and in preneoplastic lesions and less more in severe dysplasia while bcl-2 was discreetly detectable in oral tumors. P53 was not detectable in normal mucosa and weakly expressed in preneoplastic lesions, presenting a peak in severe dysplasia. These results showed an interesting inverse relation between bcl-2 and p53 expression in severe dysplasia. Ki 67 expression results to be weak in normal mucosa, in preneoplastic lesions and in mild dysplasia, while it reaches the maximum level in severe dysplasia and in tumors. CONCLUSIONS: In all the samples the apoptotic index expression showed the same features of the Ki 67 protein. These results were achieved through statistically analysis carried out with the U Mann Whitney test.

[The influence of the "age factor" on periodontal conditions in the diabetic patient]. / L'influenza del "fattore età" sulle condizioni parodontali del paziente diabetico.

Conflicting reports exist in dental literature on the relationship of diabetes mellitus to periodontal disease. Among the controversies about this relation, the role played by the age of patient has been widely investigated. Some authors, in fact, reported an increased prevalence and severity of gingivitis and periodontitis in children and young individuals with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in comparison to healthy subjects, while other researchers were not able to confirm this finding. In particular some authors postulated the hypothesis that the diabetic state could influence periodontal conditions just after the age of 30-35. The aim of the present study has been to verify this hypothesis. One hundred thirty-two subjects participated in this study; among them 66 were IDDM patients and 66 were healthy controls comparable to the diabetics for the main epidemiological features. In particular, control subjects were similar to the diabetics for oral hygiene level in order not to attribute eventually occurring differences by mistake to the diabetic state instead of to a not comparable amount of bacterial plaque present on the teeth. Among 66 IDDM patients 33 were younger than 30 (medium age = 14; extremes: 6-22) and were indicated as DG (young diabetics) group; others 33 were older than 30 (medium age = 45.1; extremes: 31-66) and were indicated as DA (adult diabetics) group. A similar differentiation was made in the control group obtaining, in this way, two subgroups (CG = young controls and CA = adult controls). In the diabetic groups males were 53% while among controls they represented 58%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[The periodontal condition of patients with insulin- and non-insulin-dependent diabetes]. / Condizioni parodontali in pazienti affetti da diabete insulino- e non insulino-dipendente.

The authors compared through the most common clinical indexes the periodontal conditions of a group of type I and type II diabetic patients with those of a group of healthy control subjects. Results showed the existence of statistically significant differences for each parameter considered (plaque index, gingival index, bleeding index, attachment loss). Also with comparable oral hygiene diabetics showed a worse periodontal condition in comparison with controls. In absolute terms type II diabetics presented worse clinical index scores compared to type I diabetics even if not at a statistically significant level.

[Innervation of inflammatory periapical lesions. Histopathological aspects]. / Innervazione nelle lesioni infiammatorie periapicali: aspetti isto-patologici.

The authors through a literatures, review, shows the istopathological aspects of the innervation of the inflammatory periapical lesions, emphasizing the most important characteristic.

[Hypnosis for sedation and ambulatory analgesia in dentistry]. / L'ipnosi come sedazione ed analgesia ambulatoriale in odontoiatria.

The hypnosis present various applications in the therapy of different oral pathologies. The hypnosis is helpful whether how assistance to the local anesthesia in anxious patients, or in the patients with cardiovascular disease, or in the patients with allergic symptom to anaesthetic drugs or in other various conditions. The present work shows the factors that are important for a adequate hypnotic methodology combined with local anesthesia in oral pathology; for this we have execute a clinical work with forty patients treating with various therapeutic treatment.

[A comparative assessment of the capacity of 2 bleeding indices to represent the concentration of thromboxane B2 in the periodontal tissues]. / Valutazione comparativa della capacità di due indici di sanguinamento nel rappresentare la concentrazione del trombossano B2 nei tessuti parodontali.

Comparative assessment on the capability of two bleeding indexes to measure the concentration of thromboxane B2 in periodontal tissues. The aim of the study was to compare two bleeding indexes, the Gingival Bleeding Index (GBI) and the Gingival Bleeding Time Index (BTI) in evaluating the intensity of inflammation in deep periodontal tissues measured by the level of thromboxane B2 in the tissues themselves. Results showed that both bleeding indexes were closely correlated to tissue inflammation but that of the two, BTI is more significantly correlated. On the basis of these findings, the authors hope to see the application of bleeding indexes in clinical and research studies which can offer a graduated assessment of bleeding, thus increasing the specificity of this important diagnostic sign.

[Oral ulcerative lesions in young adults]. / Lesioni ulcerative orali nei giovani adulti.

Following a general discussion of the pathological and clinical aspects of recurring oral ulcerative lesions most frequently observed in dentistry, the paper illustrates a few typical and atypical clinical cases. In conclusion, the authors make a few comments on the differential diagnosis and therapy of these diseases.