Objective To detect the effects of human interleukin-1β（IL-1β） and Dexamethasone（DEX） on the expression level of keratinocyte growth factor（KGF） in cultured human fibroblasts of normal oral and oral lichen planus（OLP） mucosa. Methods Three concentration gradients of IL-1β and DEX were added to cultured fibroblasts of human normal oral and OLP mucosa respectively. 72 hours later, the supernatant was harvested for the detection of KGF concentration with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）. Total RNA of the fibroblasts was extracted and reverse transcribed. The resulting cDNA was then amplified by polymerase chain reaction（PCR） to detect the KGF mRNA. Results The results of the ELISA and PCR showed that the expression levels of KGF protein and mRNA were higher if the cells were treated with IL-1β. However, the expression levels of KGF protein and mRNA were significantly reduced if the fibroblasts were treated with DEX. Conclusion IL-1β can promote KGF expression levels of cultured normal oral and OLP fibroblasts, and it is concentration-dependent. While DEX can inhibit KGF expression of cultured normal oral and OLP fibroblasts, and it is also concentration-dependent.
