Dexamethasone solution and dexamethasone in Mucolox™ for the treatment of oral inflammatory ulcerative diseases: A phase II randomized clinical trial.

Background: Mucolox™ is a mucosal drug delivery system that prolongs the contact time between the oral mucosa and topical corticosteroids, potentially reducing the need for multiple applications daily. This study aimed to assess the clinical efficacy and tolerability of dexamethasone 0.5 mg/5 mL solution in Mucolox™ for the management of oral inflammatory ulcerative diseases.

HIV-associated disruption of mucosal epithelium facilitates paracellular penetration by human papillomavirus.

The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated epithelial lesions is substantially higher in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals than in HIV-uninfected individuals. The molecular mechanisms underlying the increased risk of HPV infection in HIV-infected individuals are poorly understood. We found that HIV proteins tat and gp120 were expressed within the oral and anal mucosal epithelial microenvironment of HIV-infected individuals.

Differential transmission of HIV traversing fetal oral/intestinal epithelia and adult oral epithelia.

While human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission through the adult oral route is rare, mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) through the neonatal/infant oral and/or gastrointestinal route is common. To study the mechanisms of cell-free and cell-associated HIV transmission across adult oral and neonatal/infant oral/intestinal epithelia, we established ex vivo organ tissue model systems of adult and fetal origin. Given the similarity of neonatal and fetal oral epithelia with respect to epithelial stratification and density of HIV-susceptible immune cells, we used fetal oral the epithelium as a model for neonatal/infant oral epithelium.

HIV is inactivated after transepithelial migration via adult oral epithelial cells but not fetal epithelial cells.

Oral transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in adult populations is rare. However, HIV spread across fetal/neonatal oropharyngeal epithelia could be important in mother-to-child transmission. Analysis of HIV transmission across polarized adult and fetal oral epithelial cells revealed that HIV transmigrates through both adult and fetal cells.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-infected monocytes facilitate dissemination of EBV within the oral mucosal epithelium.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes hairy leukoplakia (HL), a benign lesion of oral epithelium that occurs primarily in the setting of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated immunodeficiency. However, the mechanisms of EBV infection of oral epithelium are poorly understood. Analysis of HL tissues shows a small number of EBV-positive intraepithelial macrophages and dendritic/Langerhans cells.