Comparison of the total length and areas of upper central incisors between males and females using computer-assisted morphometry.

The determination of measurements of teeth facilitates various procedures in dentistry. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the total length and the area of the non-extracted upper central incisors (UCI). Periapical radiographies of 42 UCI were placed over a lighted box. The outlines of the teeth and the pulp cavity were traced onto sheets and then measured using an image analyzer. The area of the upper left central incisor tooth (tooth 21) was statistically significantly larger in males than in females (p = 0.02). The total length of the right UCI was similar to that of the left one. This study demonstrates that computer-assisted morphometry is an important tool for the evaluation of the total length and areas of teeth and their pulp cavities. The significantly larger area of tooth 21 in males compared to females has anthropomorphic and clinical implications.

Comparison between the collagen intensity and mast cell density in the lingual muscles and myocardium of autopsied chronic chagasic and nonchagasic patients.

In chronic Chagas' disease (CD), an increase in collagen intensity and mast cell density has been described individually in the myocardium and tongue muscles. The aim of this study was to compare the percentage of collagen, mast cell tryptase (MCT) density, and mast cell chymase (MCH) density in the lingual muscles and myocardium from autopsied chagasic (CP) and nonchagasic patients (NCP). The selected cases were divided into two groups: (1) CP (n = 10) and (2) NCP (n = 10). Fragments were removed from the tongue and heart. After histological processing, the slices were stained with picrosirius, and immunohistochemistry was performed for MCH and MCT. The CP group showed the highest MCH and MCT densities and the highest percentage of collagen in the lingual muscles and myocardium when compared with the NCP group (p < 0.05). A significant positive correlation was observed between the collagen intensity and MCH density in the myocardium of the CP group. Although there are no reports in the literature of MCT and MCH in CD, its higher densities as well as higher percentage of collagen were found in the lingual muscles and myocardium in the CP group, suggesting that tryptase and chymase are associated with the pathogenesis of CD in these organs. Furthermore, the positive and significant correlation between the percentage of collagen and MCH density in the myocardium of the CP group suggests that the chymase is associated with fibrosis in CD, as demonstrated in other diseases.

Expression of IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 and IL-8 in the peri-implant crevicular fluid of patients with peri-implantitis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the levels of cytokines IL-6, IL-10 and IL-17 and the chemokine IL-8 in the peri-implant crevicular fluid (PCF) between the group of patients with peri-implantitis (PP) and peri-implantar healthy patients (HP). DESIGN: The PCF was collected from 40 implants regarding 25 patients, being 14 patients with PP and 11 HP totalizing 20 implants from each group. The PCF samples collected from each patient were quantified for IL-6, IL-17, IL-8 and IL-10 using the enzymatic immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The expression of IL-17 was significantly higher in the PP group when compared to HP (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference when comparing the levels of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 between both groups HP and PP. Also, there was a significant positive correlation between levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in the PP group. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that in patients with peri-implantitis there is an increase of IL-17 which may induce the production of other inflammatory cytokines, contributing to the pathogenesis of bone loss in peri-implantitis.

Role of smoking and type 2 diabetes in the immunobalance of advanced chronic periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the tissue levels of interleukin (IL)-17(+), IL-15(+), Foxp3(+) cells, fibrosis, and plasma B-cell infiltration in sites with chronic periodontitis in smokers and subjects with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Gingival biopsies were harvested from the following groups: systemically and periodontally healthy subjects (healthy group, n = 10); non-smokers and subjects with advanced periodontitis and without diabetes (non-risk factor/periodontitis group, n = 10); heavy smokers with advanced periodontitis and without diabetes (smoking/periodontitis group, ≥20 cigarettes per day for at least the past 5 years, n = 10); and non-smoking poorly controlled subjects with diabetes (glycated hemoglobin levels ≥9%) with advanced periodontitis (diabetes mellitus/periodontitis group [DMP], n = 10). The number of IL-17(+), IL-15(+), and Foxp3(+) cells was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, whereas the amount of fibrosis and plasma B-cell infiltration in gingival tissue was analyzed by histomorphometry. RESULTS: The number of Foxp3(+) cells was significantly higher in the periodontitis groups compared to the healthy group (P <0.05). The DMP group presented higher levels of Foxp3(+) cells than other periodontitis groups (P <0.05). The levels of IL-15(+) and IL-17(+) cells and the amount of fibrosis were higher in the DMP group than in the other groups (P <0.05). There was a trend for a decreased B-cell infiltration in the DMP group (P >0.05). There was a slightly significant negative correlation between B-cell infiltration and the amount of fibrosis (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Upregulation of IL-17(+), IL-15(+), and Foxp3(+) cells and increased amounts of fibrosis were observed in chronic periodontitis sites in subjects with type 2 diabetes, suggesting that periodontitis development in these subjects may be influenced by the T helper 17/T regulatory axis.

Expression of cytokines and chemokines and microvasculature alterations of the tongue from patients with chronic Chagas' disease.

Chagas' disease is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and continues to be a significant public health problem, since 10 million people are still infected in Latin America. The purpose of this study was to analyze the microvasculature alterations as well the expression of cytokines and chemokines in the tongues from patients with chronic Chagas' disease (CC; n = 18), comparatively with a non-chagasic group (NC; n = 22). We observed several vascular alterations in the tongue of CC such as a greater vascular diameter, increased vascular wall area, high density of the blood vessels, and increased thickening of the capillary basement membrane. The expression of cytokines interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha and chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha were significantly down-regulated in the tongue of CC group. These results demonstrated that, in the tongue of chagasic patients, a microvascular abnormality and immunological impairment occurs, probably due to chronic inflammation evoked by T. cruzi antigens.