动脉粥样硬化是一种导致全球高发病率和死亡率的炎性疾病。本研究的目的是将舌部炎症的组织病理学和免疫组织化学方面与尸体解剖中的主动脉和冠状动脉粥样硬化联系起来。共分析了4378份尸检报告，如果个体的舌、主动脉和冠状动脉的碎片可用于分析，则包括该病例在研究中（N = 16）。对白细胞介素1α（IL-1α）、IL-6、肿瘤坏死因子α（TNF-α）和干扰素γ（IFN-γ）进行形态学和免疫组织化学评估。主动脉中的IL-1α的发现与以下舌部参数相关联: IL-6（P = 0.031），舌黏膜下炎症（P = 0.042）和海绵状水肿（P = 0.018）。舌部中的IL-6的发现与主动脉中的IL-1α（P = 0.031）、IL-6（P = 0.016）和TNF-α（P = 0.016）相关。舌部渗出与主动脉中的IL-6（P = 0.003）和IFN-γ（P = 0.003）相关。舌黏膜下炎症、海绵样水肿以及舌部IL-6的较高免疫组织化学染色与主动脉中的IL-1α较高免疫组织化学染色相关。此外，舌部IL-6的增加强度还与主动脉中IL-6和TNF-α的增加相关。由于这些细胞因子对动脉粥样硬化的过程有贡献，且感染性因素是舌部炎症的主要原因之一，因此合理预防和治疗舌部感染可能会降低动脉粥样硬化的风险。然而，需要进一步研究来证实这些发现。

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the arteries responsible for a high rate of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The objective of this study was to associate the histopathologic and immunohistochemical aspects of tongue inflammation with aortic and coronary atherosclerosis in autopsied humans. A total of 4378 autopsy reports were analyzed, and cases were included in the study if fragments of the individual's tongue, aorta, and coronary artery were available for analysis (N = 16). Morphologic and immunohistochemical evaluations were performed for interleukin 1α (IL-1α), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and interferon γ (IFN-γ). Findings of IL-1α in the aorta were associated with the following parameters evaluated in the tongue: IL-6 (P = 0.031), inflammation in the submucosa (P = 0.042), and spongiosis (P = 0.018). Findings of IL-6 in the tongue were associated with IL-1α (P = 0.031), IL-6 (P = 0.016), and TNF-α (P = 0.016) in the aorta. Tongue exocytosis was associated with IL-6 (P = 0.003) and IFN-γ (P = 0.003) in the aorta. Inflammation in the submucosa, spongiosis, and higher immunostaining by IL-6 on the tongue are associated with higher immunostaining by IL-1α in the aorta. In addition, increased intensity in the presence of IL-6 in the tongue is also associated with increases in IL-6 and TNF-α in the aorta. Because these cytokines contribute to the process of atherosclerosis, and infectious agents are a major cause of inflammation in the tongue, it seems likely that proper prevention and treatment of lingual infections could reduce the risk of atherosclerosis. However, further studies are needed to corroborate these findings.