HSP 60 expression in recurrent oral ulcerations of Behçet's disease.

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to investigate heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) expression in oral ulcerations of Behçet's disease (BD).

STUDY

DESIGN

Biopsy specimens were obtained from patients with BD (n = 11), recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) (n = 11), oral lichen planus (OLP) (n = 11) and healthy individuals (HI) (n = 11). Eight samples in BD and RAS groups were evaluable. All groups were analyzed by biotin streptavidin-aminoethylcarbazole using monoclonal mouse antibodies to HSP60 Ab-1 (clone LK1).

RESULTS

Immunostaining indicative of HSP60 expression in BD and RAS were significantly higher than HI. No significant difference was found between BD and OLP except in the suprabasal layer of epithelium.

CONCLUSIONS

Altered expression of HSP60 was found in ulcerative lesions of BD and RAS suggesting that HSP60 has an association with the etiology or chronicity of these inflammatory lesions.