Purpose: To detect the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS-1) and suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS-3) in chronic periapical lesions and to clarify their roles in pathogenesis of apical periodontitis.
Methods: A total of 25 chronic periapical lesion tissues and 16 normal periodontal ligament tissues were collected respectively. The expression of mRNA was measured by real-time PCR, the protein expression was measured by immunohistochemical analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13.0 software package.
Results: Immunohistochemical results indicated that expression levels of SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 protein in chronic periapical lesions were significantly higher than that in normal tissues (P<0.01); Moreover, SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 protein expression levels in severe inflammation group were significantly higher than that in mild inflammation group (P<0.01). In mild inflammation group, severe inflammation group and control group, the expression levels of SOCS-1 mRNA were 2.620±1.552, 2.373±1.083 and 1.277±1.040, whereas those of SOCS-3 were 9.308±5.901, 7.565±3.233 and 1.232±1.099, respectively.
Conclusions: The expression levels of SOCS-1 mRNA and SOCS-3 mRNA are significantly higher both in mild inflammation group and severe inflammation group than that in control group (P<0.01), while no significant difference is found in mild and severe inflammation group.