Cytokines detectable in saliva of children as appropriate markers of local immunity 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 saliva of 167 schoolchildren aged 8-10 years were investigated for the presence of interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor type II (sTNFRII). In saliva of schoolchildren 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 and sTNFRII revealed significant correlations with each other. Results suggest an immunoregulatory mechanism of IL-8, TNF alpha and TNF-receptor to be of special concern in host defence as well as in maintaining homeostasis of local immunity within the oral cavity. Saliva provides an ideal medium for the detection of proinflammatory markers of the oral cavity with respect to mucosal and granulotype origin and may be employed in air pollution epidemiology, especially with regard to children.