Role of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) as an immune-diagnostic biomarker in the pathogenesis of chronic periodontal disease

ObjectiveMonocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is an important chemokine responsible for the initiation, regulation and mobilization of monocytes to the active sites of severe periodontal inflammation. The present study aims at evaluating the levels of MCP-1 in GCF, saliva and serum and to analyze the changes following phase I periodontal therapy. Assessment of possible correlations between levels of MCP-1 in the three biological fluids was also done.MethodsFifteen healthy and 30 patients of severe chronic periodontitis (diseased) participated in the study. Patients of the diseased group underwent scaling/root planing. Evaluation of PI, GI, PD, CAL and collection of samples of GCF, serum and saliva was done at baseline and 6 weeks following periodontal therapy. MCP-1 levels were quantified in all samples using ELISA.ResultsCompared to healthy controls, MCP-1 levels were statistically significantly higher in GCF (p < 0.001), saliva (p = 0.002) and serum (p < 0.001) in subjects with chronic periodontitis. Levels of MCP-1 in all the three fluids decreased significantly in patients after periodontal therapy (p < 0.001). There was a significant positive correlation between MCP-1 levels in GCF, saliva and serum in patients of chronic periodontitis both pre (r > 0.9) and post-treatment (r > 0.6).ConclusionsThe results suggest that levels of MCP-1 in GCF and saliva can be reliable indicators of severity of periodontal destruction and their serum levels reflect the systemic impact of this local inflammatory disease thereby strengthening the reciprocal oro-systemic association.     

Impact of Chronic Periodontitis on Levels of Glucoregulatory Biomarkers in Gingival Crevicular Fluid of Adults with and without Type 2 Diabetes

The relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease is bidirectional, but information about the effect of chronic periodontitis on the levels of the glucoregulatory biomarkers locally in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) is limited. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of 10 glucoregulatory biomarkers in GCF, firstly in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) presenting with and without chronic periodontitis and secondly, in subjects without diabetes, with and without chronic periodontitis. The material comprised a total of 152 subjects, stratified as: 54 with T2DM and chronic periodontitis (G1), 24 with T2DM (G2), 30 with chronic periodontitis (G3) and 44 without T2DM or periodontitis (G4). The levels of the biomarkers were measured using multiplex biometric immunoassays. Periodontal pocket depths were recorded in mm. Subsets G1 and G2 and subsets G3 and G4 were compared independently. Among T2DM subjects, GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon were significantly up-regulated in G1 compared to G2. Moreover, there were no statistical differences between the two groups regarding C-peptide, insulin, ghrelin, leptin and PAI-1. Comparisons among individuals without T2DM revealed significantly lower amounts of C-peptide and ghrelin in G3 than in G4. The number of sites with pocket depth ≥ 4mm correlated negatively with C-peptide (Spearman’s correlation co-efficient: -0.240, P < 0.01) and positively with GIP and visfatin (Spearman’s correlation co-efficient: 0.255 and 0.241, respectively, P < 0.01). The results demonstrate that chronic periodontitis adversely influences the GCF levels of glucoregulatory biomarkers, as it is associated with disturbed levels of biomarkers related to the onset of T2DM and its medical complications.     

Tumor necrosis factor-α converting enzyme (TACE) increases RANKL expression in osteoblasts and serves as a potential biomarker of periodontitis

Periodontitis is a very prevalent disease. Therefore, biomarkers for the early and standard diagnoses of periodontitis are urgently needed. TACE is a membrane-bound metalloprotease. Although a recent study suggested that TACE levels in GCF are elevated during periodontal disease, the levels of TACE in GCF at different stages of chronic periodontitis have not been determined. Here, we analyzed the protein levels of TACE in GCF from periodontal disease subjects and confirmed that the protein levels of TACE were higher in the moderate periodontitis groups. TACE is known to be a NF-κB ligand that stimulates RANKL secretion in osteoblasts. To understand the effects of TACE on RANKL and OPG in osteoblasts, we treated MG63 cells with TACE. We observed an increase in RANKL protein expression but a decrease in OPG protein expression. Our data suggest that TACE can induce RANKL expression and promote osteoclastogenesis, thus worsening the outcome of periodontitis.     

Increased Eotaxin and MCP-1 Levels in Serum from Individuals with Periodontitis and in Human Gingival Fibroblasts Exposed to Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of tooth supporting tissues resulting in periodontal tissue destruction, which may ultimately lead to tooth loss. The disease is characterized by continuous leukocyte infiltration, likely mediated by local chemokine production but the pathogenic mechanisms are not fully elucidated. There are no reliable serologic biomarkers for the diagnosis of periodontitis, which is today based solely on the degree of local tissue destruction, and there is no available biological treatment tool. Prompted by the increasing interest in periodontitis and systemic inflammatory mediators we mapped serum cytokine and chemokine levels from periodontitis subjects and healthy controls. We used multivariate partial least squares (PLS) modeling and identified monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and eotaxin as clearly associated with periodontitis along with C-reactive protein (CRP), years of smoking and age, whereas the number of remaining teeth was associated with being healthy. Moreover, body mass index correlated significantly with serum MCP-1 and CRP, but not with eotaxin. We detected higher MCP-1 protein levels in inflamed gingival connective tissue compared to healthy but the eotaxin levels were undetectable. Primary human gingival fibroblasts displayed strongly increased expression of MCP-1 and eotaxin mRNA and protein when challenged with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), key mediators of periodontal inflammation. We also demonstrated that the upregulated chemokine expression was dependent on the NF-κΒ pathway. In summary, we identify higher levels of CRP, eotaxin and MCP-1 in serum of periodontitis patients. This, together with our finding that both CRP and MCP-1 correlates with BMI points towards an increased systemic inflammatory load in patients with periodontitis and high BMI. Targeting eotaxin and MCP-1 in periodontitis may result in reduced leukocyte infiltration and inflammation in periodontitis and maybe prevent tooth loss.     

A study of C-reactive protein,lipid metabolism and peripheral blood to identify a link between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease

Periodontitis is characterized by systemic inflammatory host responses that may contribute to a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that periodontitis may be associated with altered C-reactive protein levels, serum levels of lipids and peripheral blood counts, and that these characteristics may serve as markers for a link between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. Sixty subjects, 25–60 years old, were divided into three groups of 20 subjects each. Group 1, age and sex matched healthy controls; group 2, patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis; group 3, patients diagnosed with acute periodontal lesions including periodontal abscess and pericoronal abscesses. Serum C-reactive protein levels, lipid levels and peripheral blood counts were obtained for all three groups. Significant increases in C-reactive protein and serum lipid levels, and altered peripheral blood counts were observed between the experimental groups; these factors were correlated with chronic periodontitis and cardiovascular disease. These simple, economical clinical measurements can be used to assess periodontal tissue damage and may be useful for predicting risk of cardiovascular disease in these subjects.     

Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Gingival Crevicular Fluid in Different Periodontal Conditions

Aim

To quantify the proteome composition of the GCF in periodontal health (HH) and in sites with different clinical conditions in chronic periodontitis (CP) subjects.

Material and Methods

5 subjects with HH and 5 with CP were submitted to full-mouth periodontal examination, and GCF sampling. Sites in the CP group were classified and sampled as periodontitis (P, probing depth, PD>4 mm), gingivitis (G, PD≤3mm with bleeding on probing, BOP), and healthy sites (H, PD≤3mm without BOP). GCF proteins were subjected to liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for identification, characterization and quantification.

Results

230 proteins were identified; 145 proteins were detected in HH, 214 in P, 154 in G, and 133 in H. Four proteins were exclusively detected at HH, 43 proteins at P, 7 proteins at G, and 1 protein at H. Compared to HH group, 35 and 6 proteins were more abundant in P and G (p<0.001), respectively; and 4, 15 and 37 proteins were less abundant in P, G and H (p≤0.01), respectively.

Conclusions

There are marked differences in the GCF proteome according to disease profile. Comprehension of the role of the identified proteins in the etiopathogenesis of periodontal disease may lead to biomarkers definition.     

Serum antibodies to native and denatured type I and III collagen in patients with periodontal disease

Serum IgG antibodies to collagen were investigated by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in patients with chronic periodontal disease. Patients with varying forms of periodontal disease including gingivitis, juvenile periodontitis, and adult periodontitis were compared with the normal subjects. The mean serum IgG levels of ELISA antibodies to native type I or III collagen in patients with juvenile periodontitis were significantly higher than those of the normal subjects, but no difference was found between the patients with either gingivitis or adult periodontitis and the normal subjects. In addition, the mean serum IgG levels of ELISA antibodies to denatured type I or III collagen in patients with juvenile or adult periodontitis were significantly higher than those of the normal subjects. These findings suggest that antibodies to native and denatured type I or III collagen may be associated with different forms or severities of periodontal disease, especially advanced periodontal destruction.     

多囊卵巢综合征肥胖患者血清维生素D、铁蛋白水平、sICAM-1与胰岛素抵抗、糖脂代谢指标的相关性

摘要 目的：探讨多囊卵巢综合征（PCOS）肥胖患者血清维生素D、铁蛋白、可溶性细胞间粘附分子-1（sICAM-1）水平与胰岛素抵抗、糖脂代谢指标的相关性。方法：2018年8月到2021年11月,选择在本院妇科诊治的PCOS患者65例作为研究对象,分为PCOS肥胖组（n=30,体重指数＜28 kg/m²）和PCOS非肥胖组（n=35,体重指数<28 kg/m²）。检测与计算两组清维生素D、铁蛋白、sICAM-1、胰岛素抵抗、糖脂代谢指标并进行相关性分析。结果：两组的血清甲状腺素（T4）、促甲状腺激素（TSH）与泌乳素（PRL）对比差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）,肥胖组的血清促黄体生成素（LH）、促卵泡生成素（FSH）、睾酮（T）水平高于非肥胖组（P<0.05）。肥胖组的血清铁蛋白、sICAM-1水平高于非肥胖组,血清维生素D水平低于非肥胖组（P<0.05）。肥胖组的胰岛素抵抗指数（HOMA-IR）、胰岛素水平（FINS）、甘油三酯（TG）、总胆固醇（TC）、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（LDL-C）较非肥胖组,高密度脂蛋白胆固醇（HDL-C）低于非肥胖组（P<0.05）。在PCOS肥胖患者中,Pearson分析显示血清维生素D、铁蛋白、sICAM-1与胰岛素抵抗、糖脂代谢指标都存在相关性（P<0.05）。结论：PCOS肥胖患者与非肥胖患者的血清维生素D、铁蛋白、sICAM-1、胰岛素抵抗、糖脂代谢指标水平存在差异,血清维生素D、铁蛋白、sICAM-1水平与胰岛素抵抗、糖脂代谢指标存在相关性。     

青春双歧杆菌辅助治疗牙周炎的疗效及对常见致病菌和炎性因子水平的影响

目的探讨青春双歧杆菌辅助治疗牙周炎的疗效及对常见致病菌和炎性因子水平的影响。方法选择2017年6月-2018年6月于我院确诊并治疗的慢性牙周炎患者84例,按照随机数字表法将所有患者分为双歧杆菌组(n=43)和对照组(n=41),所有患者均予以一次牙周清洁治疗。双歧杆菌组在此基础上使用双歧杆菌活菌散含服3周,治疗结束后进行为期3个月的随访。观察比较两组患者治疗前后牙周炎相关指标、龈沟液(GCF)内双歧杆菌及常见致病菌水平及炎性因子水平之间的差异,并分析GCF内双歧杆菌与炎性因子水平的相关性。结果双歧杆菌组出血指数(BI)、菌斑指数(PLI)、牙龈指数(GI)及探诊深度(PD)均显著低于对照组(均P<0.05)。双歧杆菌组患者末次随访时GCF内牙龈卟啉单胞菌、福赛斯坦纳菌、中间普雷沃菌及齿垢密螺旋体水平显著低于对照组,双歧杆菌水平显著高于对照组(均P<0.05)。双歧杆菌组患者末次随访时GCF内IL-6、TNF-α、MMP-8及TIMP-2水平显著低于对照组(均P<0.05)。GCF内IL-6、TNF-α、MMP-8及TIMP-2含量均与双歧杆菌水平呈负相关(β=-0.311,-0.309,-0.306,-0.142,均P<0.05)。结论双歧杆菌能有效改善牙周炎患者口腔内微生物环境,降低患处GCF内炎性因子水平,对牙周炎的辅助治疗起到较好的效果。     

Alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase levels in saliva and serum of patients with healthy periodontium,gingivitis, and periodontitis before and after scaling with root planing: A clinico-biochemical study

Periodontitis is commonly diagnosed based on clinical parameters. However, the analysis of a few unique biomarkers of the disease process present in the saliva and blood can further assist the estimation of the rate of disease progression.AimThe present study attempted to correlate the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acid phosphatase (ACP) levels in saliva and serum between patients with healthy periodontium, gingivitis, and chronic periodontitis.Materials and methodsThe present study was conducted in 135 subjects between 20 and 55 years of age. The subjects were divided into three groups, namely healthy (Group A), gingivitis (Group B), and chronic periodontitis (Group C). The clinical parameters were recorded using the plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and probing depth (PD). Saliva and serum were analyzed for ALP and ACP levels using an auto analyzer. All patients underwent scaling and root planning (SRP) along with oral hygiene instructions. Patients were then recalled after four weeks, and blood and saliva samples were collected to estimate ALP and ACP levels prior to clinical examination.ResultsThe clinical parameters exhibited a statistically significant decrease in the PI and GI in both group B and group C after SRP. A significant change in the PD and attachment levels (AL) was observed in the periodontitis group after SRP. The mean salivary & serum ALP levels exhibited a statistically significant decrease in group B & C after SRP. The mean serum ACP levels exhibited a statistically significant decrease in group B & C after SRP However, the salivary ACP levels decrease after SRP was only statistically significant in group C.ConclusionSerum and salivary ALP and ACP levels were markedly decreased in the gingivitis and periodontitis groups after SRP and were positively correlated with the clinical parameters.     

早发冠心病患者血清锌a2糖蛋白、单核细胞趋化蛋白-1水平与血脂的关系及其影响因素分析

摘要 目的：分析早发冠心病（PCAD）患者血清锌a2糖蛋白（ZAG）、单核细胞趋化蛋白-1（MCP-1）水平与血脂的关系及其影响因素。方法：收集2017年1月-2019年12月在我院经冠状动脉造影确诊的冠心病患者184例,其中PCAD 患者86例（PCAD组）,非PCAD患者98例（NPCAD组）,再选取同期男性<55岁,女性<65岁健康体检者86例作为对照组。收集所有研究对象的基线资料并检测空腹血糖(FBG) 、总胆固醇(TC) 、低密度脂蛋白(LDL) 、甘油三酯(TG) 、高密度脂蛋白(HDL)、血清ZAG、MCP-1水平,采用Pearson相关性分析ZAG、MCP-1与血脂相关性。多因素Logistic回归分析PCAD的影响因素。结果：PCAD组、NPCAD组糖尿病史、高血压病史、冠心病家族史比例、体质量指数(BMI)、FPG、TG、MCP-1高于对照组,HDL、ZAG水平低于对照组（P＜0.05）,PCAD组年龄、HDL、ZAG水平低于NPCAD组,冠心病家族史、吸烟史比例高于NPCAD组（P＜0.05）。Pearson相关性分析结果表明,PCAD患者ZAG与HDL呈正相关,MCP-1与HDL呈负相关（P＜0.05）;多因素Logistic回归分析显示,高血压、吸烟史、冠心病家族史、HDL、TG、ZAG、MCP-1是PCAD的独立危险因素。结论：PCAD患者MCP-1水平升高、ZAG、HDL水平降低,MCP-1、ZAG与HDL密切相关,且是PCAD的独立危险因素。     

Serum levels of oncostatin M (a gp 130 cytokine): an inflammatory biomarker in periodontal disease

Objective: Periodontitis is considered to be a risk factor for systemic diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, etc., and cytokines play a key role. The present study was carried out to measure the level of serum oncostatin M (OSM) in patients with chronic periodontitis, and to evaluate the effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on the serum OSM concentration.

Materials and methods: Sixty subjects were divided into three groups (each group n?=?20) based on the gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level (CAL): group I healthy; group II gingivitis; and group III chronic periodontitis. Group III patients were followed for 8 weeks after non-surgical periodontal therapy as the after-treatment group (group IV). Estimation of serum OSM was done using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: The mean OSM concentrations in serum were highest in the chronic periodontitis group (mean 68.05 pg ml^?1) and decreased following treatment (39.65 pg ml^?1) while OSM was undetectable in healthy subjects or in patients with gingivitis.

Conclusion: Increased serum OSM concentration in patients with chronic periodontitis and its positive correlation with PPD and CAL, suggest its role as an inflammatory biomarker in periodontal disease and it may exaggerate other systemic conditions such as atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.     

Anti-inflammatory cytokines in gingival crevicular fluid in patients with periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis: a preliminary report

Cytokines which are produced by host cells play an important role in pathogenesis both rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic periodontitis (CP). In this study, we aim to investigate the levels of Interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). Seventeen patients with CP, 17 patients with RA and 17 healthy controls (HC) were included. The RA group was divided into two groups according to gingival sulcus depths (RA-a: PD < or =3mm, (n=12), RA-b: PD>3mm, (n=5)). For each patient, clinical parameters were recorded. The GCF samples were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for IL-4 and IL-10 levels. IL-4 levels in the RA-a, RA-b and CP subjects were significantly lower compared to the HC subjects (p<0.05). The mean level of IL-4 in RA-b group was significantly higher than that in CP group (p<0.05). IL-10 mean level in the HC group was higher than those in the other groups (p<0.05). In the RA-a group, higher IL-10 level was found compared to the CP patients (p<0.05). Within the limitations of this preliminary report, it can be concluded that the initiation and progression of periodontal inflammation may be due to a lack or inappropriate response of the anti-inflammatory cytokines in both CP and RA.     

侵袭性牙周炎伴错牙合畸形患者牙周-正畸联合治疗前后血清SAA、leptin的变化及与牙周指标和辅助性T细胞亚群的相关性分析

摘要 目的：探讨侵袭性牙周炎伴错牙合畸形患者牙周-正畸联合治疗前后血清淀粉样蛋白A（SAA）、瘦素（leptin）的变化及与牙周指标和辅助性T细胞（Th）亚群的相关性。方法：选择2020年6月-2022年8月解放军总医院京中医疗区黄寺门诊部口腔科收治的80例侵袭性牙周炎伴错牙合畸形患者（牙周炎组）和65例于口腔门诊检查的健康志愿者（对照组）。所有患者均接受牙周-正畸联合治疗,治疗前后分别检测血清SAA、leptin水平以及外周血中Th1、Th2、Th17细胞占比,并评估牙周指标变化。Pearson相关性分析血清SAA、leptin水平与牙周指标以及外周血中Th1、Th2、Th17细胞占比的相关性。结果：牙周炎组治疗前血清SAA、leptin水平,外周血Th1、Th17细胞占比,出血指数（SBI）、菌斑指数（PLI）、附着丧失（AL）、牙周探诊深度（PD）高于对照组（P＜0.05）,外周血Th2细胞占比低于对照组（P＜0.05）。牙周炎组治疗后血清SAA、leptin水平,外周血Th1、Th17细胞占比,PLI、SBI、AL、PD较治疗前降低（P＜0.05）,外周血Th2细胞占比较治疗前增高（P＜0.05）。牙周炎组血清SAA、leptin与PLI、SBI、AL、PD,外周血Th1、Th17细胞占比呈正相关,与外周血Th2细胞占比呈负相关（P＜0.05）。结论：侵袭性牙周炎伴错牙合畸形患者血清SAA、leptin水平增高,经牙周-正畸联合治疗后下降,高水平SAA、leptin与牙周组织破坏程度以及Th亚群紊乱有关,检测血清SAA、leptin水平可评估侵袭性牙周炎牙周组织破坏程度以及细胞免疫状态。     

Measurement of gp130 cytokines oncostatin M and IL-6 in gingival crevicular fluid of patients with chronic periodontitis

Several proinflammatory cytokines can induce periodontal tissue destruction and are thought to be useful indicators or diagnostic markers for periodontitis. Here, we aimed to investigate whether oncostatin M (OSM) was present in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and to clarify the correlation of GCF OSM and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels with the severity of periodontitis. Sixty-two sites in 14 patients were divided into 4 groups based on probing depth (PD) and bleeding on probing (BOP). GCF was collected using paper strips from clinically health sites (PD < or = 3 mm, CAL: 1-3 mm, without BOP, n = 31), mildly diseased sites (PD < or = 3 mm, CAL: 3-5 mm, with BOP, n = 11), moderately diseased sites (PD = 4-6 mm, CAL: 5-8 mm, with BOP, n = 11), and severely diseased sites (PD > 6 mm, CAL: 8-12 mm, with BOP, n = 9). IL-6 and OSM in GCF were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and are expressed as concentrations (pg/ml) and total amounts (pg/site). Correlations of OSM and IL-6 levels with the severity of periodontitis in all groups were determined using Spearman rank correlation (r(s)). Our results showed that OSM and IL-6 were detected in most GCF samples. The total amounts of OSM and IL-6 were significantly positive correlated with severity of diseased sites (OSM: r(s) = 0.526, p < 0.01; IL-6: r(s) = 0.729, p < 0.01). No correlations of OSM or IL-6 concentration in GCF were found with disease severity. OSM and IL-6 levels in GCF were positively correlated to each other when expressed as either concentrations or total amounts (concentrations: r = 0.485, p < 0.01; total amounts r = 0.490, p < 0.01). In conclusion, our findings suggest that IL-6 and OSM may play a role in modulating the inflammatory cascade of chronic periodontitis.     

Application of quantitative proteomic analysis using tandem mass tags for discovery and identification of novel biomarkers in periodontal disease

Periodontal disease is a bacterial infection that destroys the gingiva and surrounding tissues of the oral cavity. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) is extracted from the gingival sulcus and pocket. Analysis of biochemical markers in GCF, which predict the progression of periodontal disease, may facilitate disease diagnosis. However, no useful GCF biochemical markers with high sensitivity for detecting periodontal disease have been identified. Thus, the search for biochemical markers of periodontal disease is of continued interest in experimental and clinical periodontal disease research. Using tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling, we analyzed GCF samples from healthy subjects and patients with periodontal disease, and identified a total of 619 GCF proteins based on proteomic analysis. Of these, we focused on two proteins, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐9 and neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin (LCN2), which are involved in the progression of periodontal disease. Western blot analysis revealed that the levels of MMP‐9 and LCN2 were significantly higher in patients with periodontal disease than in healthy subjects. In addition, ELISA also detected significantly higher levels of LCN2 in patients with periodontal disease than in healthy subjects. Thus, LC‐MS/MS analyses of GCF using TMT labeling led to the identification of LCN2, which may be a promising GCF biomarker for the detection of periodontal disease.     

S100A2 level changes are related to human periodontitis

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease, which, when severe, can result in tooth loss, that affects the quality of life. S100A2 was previously identified as a component of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) via proteome analysis, but it has not been investigated whether S100A2 plays a role in periodontitis. In this study, we analyzed mRNA expression of S100A2 in gingival tissues from normal and classified periodontal disease patients and compared it to that of S100A8 and S100A9. Quantitative real time-PCR revealed that the mRNA expression levels of S100A2, S100A8, and S100A9 were significantly upregulated in gingival tissues with gingivitis, moderate periodontitis, and severe periodontitis compared to normal tissues. In addition, S100A2 proteins in GCF and the conditioned media of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated Jurkat cells were confirmed by ELISA. S100A2 protein levels were significantly higher in GCF in gingivitis and moderate periodontitis groups than in normal groups. S100A2 mRNA expression and protein secretion were also increased by LPS stimulation. Based on the up-regulation of S100A2 in LPS-stimulated immune cells, gingival tissues and GCF from periodontal disease groups, we conclude that S100A2 is a functional component in the immune response during periodontitis and may serve as a potential biomarker for periodontitis.     

Metabolic profiles and lipoprotein lipid concentrations in non-obese and obese patients with polycystic ovarian disease

Clinical parameters, androgen status and lipoprotein lipid profiles were assessed in 10 non-obese and 10 obese patients with polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD) and reference subjects matched for age, height and weight. Both obese and non-obese women with PCOD had significantly higher androgen levels when compared to the reference groups. When comparison of lipoprotein lipid profiles were made between groups, non-obese women with PCOD had significantly higher total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol levels than non-obese reference subjects. Obese PCOD women manifested significantly higher total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, cholesterol/HDL, and LDL/HDL values than did obese reference subjects. Correlations between serum androgens and lipoprotein lipid concentrations in PCOD and normal women were unhelpful. Both non-obese and obese patients with PCOD had significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures (BPs) than the reference groups. Thus, both non-obese and obese women with PCOD manifest hyperandrogenaemia which may result in a male pattern of lipoprotein lipid concentrations.     

Comparative proteomic analysis of whole saliva from chronic periodontitis patients

Chronic periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory process affecting tooth supporting tissues in the presence of pathogenic bacterial biofilm. There is some evidence for changes in the protein composition of whole saliva from chronic periodontitis patients, but there have been no studies using a proteomic approach. Hence, the aim of this study was to compare the protein profiles of unstimulated whole saliva from patients with periodontitis and healthy subjects by two complementary approaches (2D-gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography). Protein spots of interest were analyzed by MALDI-TOF-TOF, and the data was complemented by an ESI-Q-TOF experiment. The analyses revealed that subjects with periodontal disease have increased amounts of blood proteins (serum albumin and hemoglobin) and immunoglobulin, and they have a lower abundance of cystatin compared to the control group. A higher number of protein spots were observed in the periodontitis group, of which most were identified as alpha-amylase. This higher number of alpha-amylase variants seems to be caused by hydrolysis by cysteine proteases under such inflammatory conditions. This approach gives novel insights into alterations of salivary protein in presence of periodontal inflammation and may contribute to the improvement of periodontal diagnosis.     

MUC4 and MMP7 in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in adolescents at West Bengal,India

Mucin 4 (MUC4) and matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7) have been reported to be associated with chronic periodontitis as seen in gingival tissue biopsies. Therefore, it is of interest to estimate the levels of MUC4 and MMP7 in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples of periodontitis in adolescents patients at West Bengal, India. MUC4 levels were significantly lower in saliva and GCF from periodontitis patients compared to healthy controls. However, MMP7 levels were found to be significantly higher in saliva and GCF from periodontitis patients. Thus, MUC4 and MMP7 are biomarkers for periodontitis diagnosis and towards further consideration.