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Interferon gamma (IFN‐γ) may reverse oral submucous fibrosis
Author(s) -
Haque M. F.,
Meghji S.,
Nazir R.,
Harris M.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0714.2001.300103.x
Subject(s) - oral submucous fibrosis , medicine , interferon gamma , fibrosis , gamma interferon , interferon , interferon γ , immunology , pathology , cytokine
Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic disease of the oral cavity and oropharyngx characterised by fibrosis in the submucosa leading to progressive limitation of the mouth opening. Interferon gamma (IFN‐γ) is a known anti‐fibrotic cytokine. In this study we have investigated: a) the effect of IFN‐γ on collagen synthesis by arecoline‐stimulated OSF fibroblasts in vitro ( n =5), b) the effect of intra‐lesional IFN‐γ on the fibrosis of OSF patients ( n =29) and c) the immunohistochemical analysis of pre‐ and post‐treatment inflammatory cell infiltrates and cytokine levels in the lesional tissue ( n =29). The results show that the increased collagen synthesis in vitro in response to arecoline was inhibited in the presence of IFN‐γ (0.01–10.0 U/ml) in a dose‐related way. In an open uncontrolled study intra‐lesional IFN‐γ treatment showed improvement in the patients mouth opening from an inter‐incisal distance before treatment of 21±7 mm, to 30±7 mm immediately after treatment and 30±8 mm 6‐months later, giving a net gain of 8±4 mm (42%) (range 4–15 mm). Patients also reported reduced burning dysaesthesia and increased suppleness of the buccal mucosa. The post‐treatment immunohistochemistry showed a decreased amount of inflammatory cell infiltrate and an altered level of cytokines compared with the pre‐treatment lesional tissue. The effect of IFN‐γ on collagen synthesis appears to be a key to the treatment of these patients, and intra‐lesional injections of the cytokine may have a significant therapeutic effect on OSF.