Interleukin-6 family of cytokines as biochemical markers of osseous changes in the temporomandibular joint disorders

The aim of this study was to find out whether there was a correlationship between the concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-11, and IL-17 in synovial fluid and osseous changes in the condyle. The synovial fluid was obtained from 61 patients with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) and seven healthy volunteers (controls). The concentrations of IL-6, IL-11, and IL-17 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. IL-6 was detected in 43 of 59 (73%), IL-11 in 23 of 52 (44%) and IL-17 in 14 of 51 (27%) samples of synovial fluid. The concentrations of IL-6 and IL-11 in the joints with osseous changes in the condyle were significantly higher than in the joints without osseous changes (P<0.05) and also higher than in the joints of the control group (P<0.05). In addition, there was a correlation of concentrations between IL-6 and IL-11 (P<0.05). These results suggest that IL-6 and IL-11 may participate in the pathogenesis of TMD and induce osseous changes in the condyle.