ULTRASTRUCTURAL FEATURES OF CYCLOSPORINE-A-INDUCED GINGIVAL HYPERPLASIA

THE PRESENT WORK COLLECTED DATA on the ultrastructural features of the attached gingiva in kidney transplant patients who showed gingival hy perplasia following cyclosporin A (Cy A) treatment. Ultrastructural ex amination was carried out on biopsies of attached gingiva obtained fro m 8 male patients (30 to 60 years old) undergoing treatment at the Den tal Clinic of the University of Ferrara. The data showed that, althoug h many fibroblasts are present in Cy A-induced hyperplasia, there is a particular abundance of amorphous substance compared to fibrous, as w ell as marked plasma cell infiltration. On the basis of the data colle cted, we hypothesize that the morphological features of the dimensiona l increase in gingival tissue associated with CY A treatment in kidney transplant patients may be considered local manifestations of a syste mic phenomenon.