Role of S100A4 in the Pathogenesis of Human Periapical Granulomas

S100A4 expression is associated with the pathology of chronic inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated the role of S100A4 and four inflammatory mediators (IL-1β, IκB, IL-10, and TNF-α) in human periapical granulomas (PGs). S100A4 expression in PGs obtained by apicoectomy was examined by immunohistochemistry. Further, the expression of S100A4 and four inflammatory mediators was compared between PGs and healthy gingival tissues (HGTs) using real-time PCR. In the PGs, S100A4 was found to be expressed in endothelial cells and fibroblasts. Furthermore, real-time PCR revealed that the expression of S100A4 and IL-1β in PGs was significantly higher than that in HGTs. Although a correlation between the expression of S100A4 and IκB or IL-10 was not detected, a positive correlation between the expression of S100A4 and IL-1β or TNF-α was observed. The expression of S100A4 correlates with the pathogenesis of PGs.