Cytokines detectable in saliva of children as appropriate markers of localimmunity of the oral cavity - an approach for the use in air pollution studies

The objective of this study was the detection of proinflammatory markers in saliva to be involved in local immunity of the oral cavity. Therefore sali va of 167 schoolchildren aged 8-10 years were investigated for the presence of interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumour necrosis factor a (TNF alpha) and soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor type II (sTNFRII). In saliva of kschoolchil dren sufficient quantities:of IL-8 (302.3-4208.6 pg/ml), TNF alpha (0.3-40. 6 pg/ml) and sTNFRII (17.6-931.3 pg/ml) were detectable. IL-8, TNF alpha an d sTNFRII revealed significant correlations with each other. Results sugges t an immunoregulatory mechanism of IL-8, TNFa and TNF-receptor to be of spe cial concern in host defence as well as in maintaining homeostasis of local immunity within the oral cavity. Saliva provides an ideal medium for the d etection of proinflammatory markers of the oral cavity with respect to muco sal and granulotype origin and may be employed in air pollution epidemiolog y, especially with regard to children.