Gingival tissue samples were taken post-mortem from 13 horses with no clinical signs of oral disease and 20 horses with periodontitis.
mRNA levels of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 and cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-17 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were determined using quantitative real-time PCR.
The statistical significance of results was assessed using appropriate t tests.
mRNA levels of all TLRs and cytokines were upregulated in equine periodontitis.
Significant increases in mRNA levels of TLR2, TLR9, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 (P≤0.05) and IFN-γ (P≤0.01) were observed for both unweighted and age-weighted analyses of diseased gingival tissue samples compared with healthy gingival samples.
In comparisons of samples of periodontitis lesions with healthy gingival control samples from the same horse, significant increases in mRNA levels of TLR4, TLR9, IL-10, IFN-γ (P≤0.05), TLR2, IL-1β and IL-12p35 (P≤0.01) were observed.
This study has provided an initial insight into the involvement of the immune system in equine periodontitis.
Increased mRNA levels of TLR2, TLR4 and TLR9 indicate substantial microbial challenge in diseased gingival tissue.
A mixed Th1/Th2/Th17 cytokine response is produced in equine periodontitis.
Further studies are required to more fully characterise the role of the innate immune system in this disease.
Source: Kennedy, R., Lappin, D. F., Dixon, P. M., Bennett, D. and Riggio, M. P. (2016), Gingival Toll-like receptor and cytokine messenger RNA levels in equine periodontitis and oral health. Equine Veterinary Journal. doi: 10.1111/evj.12597
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