Purpose: To detect the expression of Wnt5a in lesions of chronic apical periodontitis and determine the relationship between expression of Wnt5a and inflammation degree.
Methods: Ten patients with chronic apical periodontitis and 5 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. According to the inflammatory cell infiltration, the specimens were divided into 2 groups: severe inflammation group and mild inflammation group. The expression of Wnt5a was measured by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical analysis in the lesions of chronic apical periodontitis. The amount of Wnt5 expression was assayed and compared in different inflammation levels. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13.0 software package.
Results: Wnt5a was detected in both groups. Expression of Wnt5a mRNA in patients were significantly higher than the controls (P<0.05). According to inflammation level, the positive expression rate of Wnt5a in severe inflammation group was significantly higher than the controls (P<0.01), and Wnt5a positive expression in mild inflammation group was also significantly higher than the controls (P<0.05). The expression of Wnt5a was significantly different between severe inflammation group and mild inflammation group (P<0.05).
Conclusions: The expression of Wnt5a increases as the severity of tissue inflammation increases, which indicates that Wnt5a plays an important role in the development of chronic apical periodontitis.