ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Fissured tongue (FT) is a clinical condition manifested by numerous little furrows on the tongue's surface. Previously, the authors observed an association with HLA-C×06 in psoriasis (PS) and benign migratory glossitis (BMG); however, HLA-C was not surveyed in FT. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the association between HLA alleles and FT. METHODS: Thirty-three FT bearers were studied, after evaluation of criteria for inclusion. These patients did not present PS, BMG or any other conditions associated with FT. The control group (CG) was composed of 561 individuals with HLA-A, 560 individuals with HLA-B, 168 individuals with HLA-C, 564 individuals with HLA-DRB1 and 390 individuals with HLA-DQB1. Samples from these individuals were processed to extract DNA. The HLA classes I and II were determined using the reverse line blot technique. The frequencies of HLA antigens found in patients were compared with the CG using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The comparison of the frequencies of HLA antigens found in the patient groups and in CG revealed no association with any of the alleles studied, except for HLA-A*01, which exhibited a decreased frequency in patient groups. HLA-C*06 was detected in 7.57% of FT patients and 10.42% of the CG (not significant). CONCLUSION: The lack of association of FT with HLA-C*06 reinforces the proposal that this disease does not have a common genetic factor in the triad of BMG, FT and PS.
Subject(s)
Alleles , HLA Antigens/genetics , Tongue, Fissured/genetics , Brazil , Case-Control Studies , Humans , Tongue, Fissured/immunologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Fissured tongue (FT) is a clinical condition manifested by numerous little furrows on the tongue's surface. Previously, the authors observed an association with HLA-C×06 in psoriasis (PS) and benign migratory glossitis (BMG); however, HLA-C was not surveyed in FT. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the association between HLA alleles and FT. METHODS: Thirty-three FT bearers were studied, after evaluation of criteria for inclusion. These patients did not present PS, BMG or any other conditions associated with FT. The control group (CG) was composed of 561 individuals with HLA-A, 560 individuals with HLA-B, 168 individuals with HLA-C, 564 individuals with HLA-DRB1 and 390 individuals with HLA-DQB1. Samples from these individuals were processed to extract DNA. The HLA classes I and II were determined using the reverse line blot technique. The frequencies of HLA antigens found in patients were compared with the CG using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The comparison of the frequencies of HLA antigens found in the patient groups and in CG revealed no association with any of the alleles studied, except for HLA-A*01, which exhibited a decreased frequency in patient groups. HLA-C*06 was detected in 7.57% of FT patients and 10.42% of the CG (not significant). CONCLUSION: The lack of association of FT with HLA-C*06 reinforces the proposal that this disease does not have a common genetic factor in the triad of BMG, FT and PS.
Subject(s)
Humans , Tongue, Fissured/genetics , Tongue, Fissured/immunology , Brazil , Case-Control Studies , Alleles , HLA Antigens/geneticsABSTRACT
Blood samples from 40 patients with fissured tongue syndrome (FTS) were examined, and the results were compared with those of 20 healthy control subjects. FTS was diagnosed when a) the patient had a fissured tongue with smooth-surfaced papillae (n = 25) or b) the patient had geographic tongue and some relatives had fissured tongue (n = 15). These tongue forms were verified also histologically. To evaluate the possibility of systemic disorders in patients with FTS we determined the whole blood picture and levels of vitamin B12, serum folate, serum ferritin, and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM, IgE). None of the patients with FTS nor any of the controls were found to be anaemic. The mean levels of serum vitamin B12, ferritin and folate were, however, slightly lower in the patient group than in the controls. These findings suggest that anaemia does not play a primary role in the aetiology of fissured tongue syndrome. The most striking haematological findings were the decreased thrombocyte and leucocyte counts in patients with fissured tongue syndrome compared with the control subjects. Furthermore, the lymphocyte count and serum IgG were low in the patient group. When the two patient groups were compared no differences were found. These observations are discussed from the standpoint of deficiency in the immunological defence mechanism of patients with fissured tongue syndrome.
Subject(s)
Tongue, Fissured/blood , Adult , Blood Cell Count , Female , Ferritins/blood , Folic Acid/blood , Humans , Immunoglobulins/analysis , Male , Syndrome , Tongue, Fissured/immunology , Vitamin B 12/bloodABSTRACT
Both resting and paraffin-stimulated whole saliva were studied in 25 patients with fissured tongue and in their age and sex-matched healthy controls. The groups did not differ in dental or periodontal health. No significant differences were found between the groups in the salivary secretion rate, pH and buffer capacity, or in the frequency of lactobacilli and yeasts in saliva samples and scrapings from tongue surface. In patients with fissured tongue, unstimulated whole saliva displayed significantly elevated levels of sodium, lysozyme, myeloperoxidase and all immunoglobulins (isotypes A, G and M) when compared with the controls. These changes most likely reflect the inflammation frequently seen in the biopsies of fissured tongue. No differences between the groups existed in the amounts of salivary potassium, calcium, inorganic phosphate, amylase and total protein. Our study shows that in patients with fissured tongue the salivary secretion and composition are normal. However, components from plasma and inflammatory cells are diagnostically elevated in the whole saliva samples of patients with fissured tongue when compared with the healthy controls.
