[Quantitative and immunohistochemical analysis of endothelin-1 in oral submucous fibrosis].

OBJECTIVE

This experiment is carried out to investigate roles of endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent vasoconstrictor and mitogenic peptide, in fibrosis and collagen production.

METHODS

30 cases of oral submucous fibrosis(OSF), 10 cases of oral lichen planus (OLP) and 10 cases of normal control, were studied by means of SABC immunohistochemical method with polyclonal antisera to ET-1 and using image pattern analysis technique.

RESULTS

1. Oral mucosa from OLP and normal control expressed very little ET-1. By contrast, there was striking expression of ET-1 in oral mucosa from OSF; 2. The cellular content of ET-1 in OSF was significantly higher than that in normal control (P < 0.01), while the cellular content of ET-1 in the early and moderate stages OSF were significantly higher than that in the advanced stage(P < 0.01); 3. The cellular content of ET-1 in the early and moderate stages OSF were significantly higher than that in OLP(P < 0.01); 4. There was a significantly positive correlation between cellular contents of epithelia and interstitial(P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that cell-specific expression of ET-1 may play a role in pathogenesis of OSF.