Detection, Enumeration and Characterization of T Helper Cells Secreting Type 1 and Type 2 Cytokines in Patients with Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis

Detection, Enumeration and Characterization of T Helper Cells Secreting Type 1 and Type 2 Cytokines in Patients with Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis

ELENI ALBANIDOU-FARMAKI,¹ ANASTASIOS K. MARKOPOULOS,¹ FILANTHI KALOGERAKOU¹ and DEMETRIOS Z. ANTONIADES¹

¹Department of Oral Medicine & Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece

One of the factors involved in the pathogenesis of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a cell-mediated immune response in which several cytokines seem to play a major role. The aim of this study was to detect, enumerate and characterize T helper cells which are secreting type 1 cytokines (interleukin [IL]-2, IL-12, interferon [IFN]-γ, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) and type 2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-10) in the peripheral blood of patients with RAS. Thirty-two patients in the active phase of RAS (14 men and 18 women) and 40 healthy individuals participated in the study. T helper (T) cells were detected and characterized using Elispot assay. T cells secreting IL-2, IL-12 or IFN-γ were increased in patients with RAS compared with the controls (p < 0.05, p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). T cells secreting TNF-α in RAS patients and controls were not statistically different (p > 0.05). T cells secreting IL-10 were increased in patients with RAS compared with the controls (p < 0.05). T cells secreting IL-4 were decreased in patients with RAS compared with the controls (p < 0.001), No statistical difference was observed between T cells secreting IL-5 or IL-6 in patients with RAS and controls. Our findings suggest that the increased numbers of T cells secreting type 1 cytokines may influence the immune response against RAS. Whether this action is of etiological importance or epigenetic phenomenon is a question that needs to be answered.

keywords —— immunopathogenesis of recurrent aphthous stomatitis; Type 1 and 2 T helper cells; peripheral blood mononuclear cells

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2007, 212, 101-105

Correspondence: Dr. Anastasios K. Markopoulos, Associate Professor of Oral Medicine/Pathology, School of Dentistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54006 Thessaloniki, Greece.

e-mail: anmark@dent.auth.gr