The concentration of TNF-α correlate with number of inflammatory cells and degree of vascularization in radicular cysts

OBJECTIVE: To correlate values of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) depending on the count of inflammatory cells with degree of vascularization in cystic fluid of radicular cysts. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We investigated TNF-alpha concentration in 43 radicular cysts obtained from patients undergoing surgery, under local anaesthesia, and after aspiration of cystic fluid from non-ruptured cysts by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay assay in respect of different clinical parameters as well as by histomorphometric analyses. RESULTS: Significantly higher concentration of TNF-alpha is associated with smaller radicular cysts, higher protein concentration in cystic fluid as well as with higher presence of inflammatory cells, and increased degree of vascularization in pericystic tissues and cyst wall thickness. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that determination of TNF-alpha in cystic fluid simultaneously with other parameters can be an additional parameter for clinical diagnosis of inflammed cysts.