ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Stomatologica 2014 March;63(3):59-67

Copyright © 2014 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Immunoexpression of angiogenesis and proliferation markers in patients treated with cyclosporin A

Afonso M. ¹, Perrotti V. ², Rapani M. ², Iaculli F. ², Piccirilli M. ², Onuma T. ³, Shibli J. A. ³, De Oliveira Bello V. ⁴, Sposto M. R. ¹, Artese L. ² ✉

¹ Department of Diagnosis and Oral Surgery Araraquara Dental School, UNESP Araraquara, SP, Brazil; ² Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences Dental School, University of Chieti‑Pescara Chieti, Italy; ³ Department of Periodontology Dental Research Division, Guarulhos University Guarulhos, SP, Brazil; ⁴ Kidney Transplant Unit Base Hospital, Brasilia, Brazil

Aim: In the present immunohistochemical study, the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, nitric oxide synthase 1 and 3, and Ki-67 in the gingival tissues of renal transplant patients treated with cyclosporin A was assessed. Gingival overgrowth (GO) frequently occurs in transplant patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs such as cyclosporine and this gingival inflammation might play an important role in the pathogenesis of drug-induced GO.
Methods: Twenty-eight human gingival biopsies were taken from healthy patients with chronic periodontitis (N.=14 control group), and from renal transplant recipients treated with cyclosporin A (N.=14 test group). The retrieved specimens were immunohistochemically processed and stained for vascular endothelial growth factor, nitric oxide synthase 1 and 3, and Ki-67.
Results: The levels of vascular endothelial growth factor, nitric oxide synthase 1 and 3, and Ki-67 were found to be significantly different among groups (P>0.001), with patients treated with cyclosporin A showing higher levels of all the analyzed markers compared to control group.
Conclusion: In summary, the data from this pilot study suggests that the investigated factors have a role in the inflammation processes associated to immunosuppressive therapy. However, further studies with a larger sample population need to be conducted for an exhaustive knowledge of the mechanisms leading to GO.