Mechanism of pro-apoptotic action of prosthetic restorations on oral mucosa cells.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to check the pro-apoptotic mechanism of prosthetic reconstruction on epithelial cells of the oral mucosa. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The research was carried out on the saliva of healthy patients using prostheses. The sample swabs were stained using the May-Grunwald-Giemsa method and processed by immunohistochemistry for nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB; p65) and caspase-3. Western blots were used to detect caspase-3, NF-kappaB, p53 and COX-2 expression. RESULTS: We found an increased expression of caspase-3, NF-kappaB and p53 in the oral epithelial cells of patients using prosthetic restorations compared to the subjects from the control group. No differences in COX-2 expression were found between the groups. The strongest immunoreactivity and expression of caspase-3, NF-kappaB and p53 were observed in patients using full prosthesis for less than two years. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the conducted research indicate that prosthetic restorations may affect the process of apoptosis of oral mucosa epithelial cells. Lack of difference in expression of COX-2 in the saliva of the studied patients suggests that apoptosis is not caused by inflammatory factors.