The expression of TLR-2 and TLR-4 protein in the epithelial cells of the oral mucosal patients with recurrent apthous stomatitis (RAS)

Background: Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the human immune system. The objective of this study was to disclose or discover RAS using etiopathogenetic molecular approach by observing the TLRs. Particular objective of this study was to understand the expression of toll-like receptors 2 (TLRs-2) and TLR-4 in epithelial cells of oral mucosa, and to investigate the role of toll-like receptors in the innate immunity. Methods: Human oral epithelial cells were obtained by scraping the oral mucosal from 40 patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis and 10 healthy adult volunteers. The epithelial cells are made into smears. Immunohistochemistry was peformed for identification of TLR-2 and TLR-4 protein using monoclonal antibodies anti-TLR-2 and TLR-4. Result: TLR2 and TLR4 protein were expressed in the oral mucosal epithelial cells especially in surface and nuclear cells. The expression of the TLR-2 in patients with minor RAU was 41,02%, while major RAS is expressed 43,58%. RAS patients with positiv TLR-4 was 48,71% in major RAS, while in minor RAS TLR-4 was expressed 38,46%. Conclusion:This study is the first to establish the presence of both TLR-2 and TLR-4 protein on epithelial cells of oral mucosa, and their expression can be up-regulated in infectious conditions. These results show that TLR-2 and TLR-4 may play a important role in local host defense of oral mucosal.