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Relationship between mast cell degranulation and inflammation in the oral cavity
Author(s) -
Walsh Laurence J.,
Davis Mark F.,
Xu Lindsay J.,
Savage Neil W.
Publication year - 1995
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 - 10.1111/j.1600-0714.1995.tb01180.x
Subject(s) - degranulation , tryptase , chymase , mast cell , inflammation , cytokine , tumor necrosis factor alpha , immunology , biology , pathology , chemistry , medicine , biochemistry , receptor
Mast cells are granule‐containing secretory cells which are distributed preferentially about the microvascular bed in oral mucosa. This work examined the contribution of mast cell mediators to inflammation in the oral cavity. Mast cells in oral tissues expressed the serine proteases, tryptase and chymase, with a minor subpopulation being chymase‐negative. Mast cells contained the cytokine tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF) in their granules. Degranulation of mast cells was a consistent feature of inflammation lesions (lichen planus, gingivitis, pulpitis, periapical inflammation). In lichen planus, intracellular stores of TNF were depleted, and expression of mRNA for TNF was upregulated, indicating ongoing production and release of the cytokine. The density of mast cells in tissue compartments was related to the level of expression of E‐selectin, an endothelial adhesion molecule which is known to be induced in skin by TNF derived from degranulating mast cells. Further attention should be directed toward the role of mast cell products, particularly TNF, in inflammation in the oral cavity.