Oral Science International
Online ISSN : 1881-4204
Print ISSN : 1348-8643
Volume 1, Issue 2
Displaying 1-5 of 5 articles from this issue
REVIEW ARTICLE
  • Yoshio Hayashi, Rieko Arakaki, Naozumi Ishimaru
    2004 Volume 1 Issue 2 Pages 55-64
    Published: 2004
    Released on J-STAGE: September 28, 2007
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Primary Sjögren's syndrome is an autoimmune disorder characterized by lymphocytic infiltrates and destruction of the salivary and lacrimal glands, and systemic production of autoantibodies to the ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particles SS-A/Ro and SS-B/La, leading to clinical symptoms of dryness of the mouth and eyes (sicca syndrome). Autoreactive T cells bearing the CD4 molecule may recognize an unknown self antigen, triggering autoimmunity in the salivary and lacrimal glands. Although several candidate autoantigens including α-fodrin have been reported in Sjögren's syndrome, the pathogenic roles of the autoantigens in initiation and progression of SS are still unclear. It is possible that individual T cells activated by an appropriate self antigen can proliferate and form a restricted clone. Recent evidence suggests that the apoptotic pathway plays a central role in making T cells tolerant to tissue-specific self antigen, and may drive the autoimmune phenomenon. We recently reported that tissue-specific apoptosis in estrogen-deficient mice may contribute to autoantigen cleavage, leading to the development of autoimmune exocrinopathy. The studies reviewed imply that tissue-specific apoptosis and caspase-mediated α-fodrin proteolysis are involved in the progression of autoimmune lesions in Sjögren's syndrome. Moreover, Fas ligand (FasL) and its receptor Fas are essential in the homeostasis of the peripheral immune system. It is considered that a defect in activation-induced cell death (AICD) of effector T cells may result in the development of autoimmune exocrinopathy in Sjögren's syndrome.
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ORIGINAL ARTICLES
  • Kousuke Honda, Yoshiko Natsumi, Masahiro Urade
    2004 Volume 1 Issue 2 Pages 65-70
    Published: 2004
    Released on J-STAGE: September 28, 2007
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Purpose: We investigate the relation of bone changes of the condylar surface to disc displacement and discuss the development of joint symptoms in osteoarthrosis of temporomandibular (TM) joints.
    Subjects and Methods: Seventy-seven patients with an image diagnosis of degenerative bone changes of the unilateral condylar surface accompanied with joint symptoms were studied. The bone changes were assessed by panoramic radiographs and classified into two groups: pathologic bone changes (PBC) including erosion, osteophyte and deformity, and adaptive bone changes (ABC) including flattening and concavity. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed on the subjective TM joints to examine the configuration and position of articular discs. A visual analogue scale was used for evaluation of joint pain.
    Results: Erosion and deformity showed significantly higher prevalence than the other three kinds of bone changes in the joints with anterior disc displacement without reduction (ADWoR) as compared to those with anterior disc displacement with reduction (ADWR). The cases with the vertical disc position to the condyle ranging from 60° to less than 150° were more frequent than those ranging from 0° to less than 60° in the PBC group, whereas the cases with the vertical disc position to the condyle ranging from 0° to less than 60° were more frequent than those ranging from 60° to less than 150° in the ABC group. The average degree of joint pain when chewing but not jaw opening was higher in the joints with ADWoR than in those with ADWR, and in the PBC group than in the ABC group.
    Conclusion: The bone changes of the condylar surface diagnosed as PBC tended to induce more advanced disc displacement and chewing pain than those diagnosed as ABC.
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  • Misaki Ota-Sanada, Daisuke Ito, Ming-Heng Li, Takeshi Odani, Ai Kawama ...
    2004 Volume 1 Issue 2 Pages 71-79
    Published: 2004
    Released on J-STAGE: September 28, 2007
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The environmental contaminant benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) has been regarded as one of the pathogens of oral premalignant and malignant lesions. To elucidate the pathogenesis of oral premalignancies, B[a]P-induced dysplasia of the murine tongue was investigated for G1-associated cell cycle regulation. B[a]P solution was applied orally up to six weeks to induce epithelial dysplasia of the tongue. BrdU incorporation and the expression of p21, cyclin D1, and CDK4 were examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Rb phosphorylation and E2F-Rb binding were examined by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting. B[a]P treatment resulted in dysplastic changes and active DNA synthesis in the tongue epithelia. Immunohistochemical analyses showed p21 up-regulation and cyclin D1/CDK4 overexpression in B[a]P-induced dysplasia. Rb hyperphosphorylation and E2F release were caused by B[a]P treatment. Thus, dysregulation of G1-phase regulation is likely to be an important event in the development of oral epithelial dysplasia in mice.
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  • Masako Suga, Eiro Kubota, Takanori Shibata
    2004 Volume 1 Issue 2 Pages 80-88
    Published: 2004
    Released on J-STAGE: September 28, 2007
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    This study investigated whether the presence of Mycoplasma fermentans (M. fermentans) in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) could be associated with the pathology of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). One hundred fifteen synovial fluid (SF) samples from patients with TMD were evaluated for the presence of DNA of M. fermentans by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Specific antibody against M. fermentans was also detected in the SF as well as sera by Western blot analysis. M. fermentans DNA was identified in 37.4% of the SF samples from the TMD patients. There was no difference between PCR-positive and -negative rate regarding sex and disease categories, e.g., internal derangement (ID) and osteoarthritis (OA). However, the prevalence of M. fermentans DNA in ID patients was higher in elderly patients (73.3%) than in younger patients (31.8%). Anti-M. fermentans immunoreactivities (IgG) specific for lipoproteins with various molecular sizes, 56 kilo-Dalton (kDa), 48 kDa, 38 kDa, and 29 kDa, were also identified in the SF. The immunoreactivity was also detected in the patients'sera. The reactivity patterns of the anti-M. fermentans antibodies were, however, different between the SF and the sera; reactivities to 48 kDa and 29 kDa lipoproteins were prominent in the former, while the reactivities to those of 56 kDa, 48 kDa, and 29 kDa were evidently increased in the latter. The presence of specific DNA and antibody for M. fermentans in the TMJ implies that M. fermentans could possibly induce joint specific immunoreaction, thus perpetuating the inflammatory reaction in the diseased TMJ.
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CASE REPORT
  • A Case Report
    Tetsuro Ikebe, Yuichi Ogata, Yasuo Takamune, Kazutoshi Ota, Takehisa O ...
    2004 Volume 1 Issue 2 Pages 89-92
    Published: 2004
    Released on J-STAGE: September 28, 2007
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    A case of nodular fasciitis which arose from the buccal submucosal region is reported. One week after an incisional biopsy, the lesion enlarged alarmingly and protruded from the submucosa. Although a sarcoma was suspected because of rapid growth, the diagnosis of the biopsy was nodular fasciitis showing a haphazard arrangement of plump fibroblasts without atypical mitoses. After complete resection, no signs of recurrence were seen.
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