ABSTRACT
Oral lichen planus (OLP), defined as a potential for malignant transformation, is a chronic inflammatory disease in which abnormal angiogenesis serves a role in the malignant changes of the disease. OLP-associated fibroblasts (OLP-MFs), derived from the stroma of OLP tissues, are characterized by the presence of myofibroblasts and contribute to the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which may be involved in the molecular pathogenesis of OLP. However, the associated mechanisms of angiogenesis in OLP remain unknown. The present study aimed to verify the expression of intercellular adhesion molecular 1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, VEGF and CD34 in OLP, and to investigate whether IL-6 secreted by OLP-MFs promoted OLP angiogenesis and the effect of its corresponding antibody inhibition. The results of the experiments demonstrated that inflammation was present and OLP upregulated the secretion of IL-6 by OLP stromal fibroblasts, thereby enhancing OLP angiogenesis. Anti-IL-6 receptor antibody inhibited OLP-stroma IL-6 signaling and suppressed OLP angiogenesis. The antibody inhibited the inflammatory response by inhibiting the secretion of inflammatory factors, including IL-6, to suppress angiogenesis and reduce disease progression, thus indicating that this could be a potential target to develop a treatment for OLP.
ABSTRACT
Five patients with synovial chondromatosis in the temporomandibular joint were treated in our hospital between August, 2011 and August, 2014. All the patients underwent preoperative imaging examinations for clinical diagnosis and determining the involvement of the lesions. Surgeries were performed and the lesions were confirmed as synovial chondromatosis by pathological diagnosis. The clinical manifestations, imaging features, diagnosis and treatment results were analyzed. All the 5 patients had pain in the joint region, 3 had limited mouth opening, and 3 had swelling in the joint region. X-ray film showed widening of the joint space in all the 5 cases and radiographic findings showed space-occupying lesions in the intra-articular space. Open joint surgeries was performed and completed successfully in all the cases. The postoperative imaging showed no residual lesions in the surgical area. As a rare clinical entity, synovial chondromatosis in the temporomandibular joint was poorly documented without specific clinical manifestations. The diagnosis of synovial chondromatosis relies on imaging, arthroscopic and pathological findings. Corpus liberum is an important feature of the disease occurring frequently in the joint cavity. Surgical intervention is the primary choice for treatment of synovial chondromatosis in the temporomandibular joint, in which the corpus liberum and the affected synovial membrane shall be removed after joint incision.
