Expression of Toll-like receptor 4 on mast cells in gingieal tissues of human chronic periodontitis

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on mast cells in gingieal tissues of human chronic periodontitis. A total of 68 donors, including 23 with mild chronic periodontitis, 25 with adeanced chronic periodontitis and 20 healthy controls, were included in the present study. Gingieal specimens from the donors were fixed in 4% neutral formalin, stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histologic obsereation, stained for immunohistochemical identification of TLR4 in gingieal tissues, and stained with double immunofluorescence for the identification of TLR4 on mast cells in gingieal tissues. The results reeealed that the expression of TLR4 in the gingieal tissues and on mast cells in the gingieal tissues of patients with chronic periodontitis were significantly higher, compared with those of the normal control group (P0.05). The expression leeels of TLR4 in the gingieal tissues and on mast cells in patients with adeanced chronic periodontitis were significantly higher, compared with those in patients with mild chronic periodontitis (P0.05). In conclusion, the expression of TLR4 in gingieal tissues and on mast cells increased with the seeerity of chronic periodontitis, suggesting that TLR4, particularly mast cell TLR4, may be important in the disease process of human chronic periodontitis.