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Our recent work shows that periodontitis experience reflects host susceptibility to the onset of multiple systemic diseases and conditions. This cross-sectional study further investigated whether and to what extent the existing periodontitis could reflect the concurrent presence of inflammatory comorbidities among 'self-perceived health' individuals.There were 115 'self-perceived health' adults who completed a questionnaire on demographic characteristics and lifestyles. Twenty medical diagnostic tests were then performed to detect eight common systemic diseases and conditions. Meanwhile, full-mouth periodontal examination was undertaken, and the subjects were classified as two subgroups with or without Generalized Severe Periodontitis (Stages III/IV, generalized). The interlink of periodontal status and concurrent systemic comorbidities was assessed.98.3% (113/115) of the subjects exhibited at least one undiagnosed systemic disease/disorder. Of them, 52.2% (59/113) and 47.8% (54/113) concurrently presented with 1-5 or ≥6 abnormal test results, respectively. Overall, 96.5% (111/115) had periodontitis. Generalized Severe Periodontitis was present in 43.2% (48/111) of the periodontitis patients, and it was significantly associated with the profiles of abnormal test results after adjusting potential confounders (abnormal test results 1-5 vs ≥6; OR: 3.23, p = .012).The present study shows that existing severe periodontitis could well reflect the concurrent presence of multiple inflammatory comorbidities. Oral and medical professionals can play proactive roles in enhancing health awareness and healthcare, through strong collaboration and teamwork.

Background and Objective Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can act as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) to compete for micro‐RNAs (miRNAs) in regulation of downstream genes, various biological functions and diseases. Yet, the expression and regulation of lncRNAs in periodontitis are not fully understood. The objective of the study was to identify potential genes (lncRNA, messenger RNA [mRNA] and miRNA) involved in periodontitis, construct lncRNA‐miRNA‐mRNA ceRNA networks, explore gene functions and validate gene expressions. Material and Methods The data sets for the lncRNA, mRNA and miRNA expression profiles in gingival samples from periodontally healthy subjects and chronic periodontitis patients were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus. The differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were identified, and ceRNA networks were then constructed. The expression of DElncRNAs and DEmRNAs was examined by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Moreover, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed for exploring the potential functions and biological pathways. Results The GSE80715 and GSE54710 data sets were retrieved. Subsequently, 26 DElncRNAs, 436 DEmRNAs and 12 DEmiRNAs were identified (|fold change| ≥2, adjusted p

There is a limited number of studies on the performance assessment of the 2017 AAP/EFP classification and the CDC/AAP case definition among pregnant females. This study evaluated the agreement between these two systems and explored a practical tool for screening maternal periodontal diseases by general dentists.Totally, 204 systemically healthy females at different phases of pregnancy underwent a full-mouth periodontal examination. Demographic characteristics, lifestyles, and systemic conditions were recorded. Referring to the CDC/AAP definition, the diagnostic performance of the AAP/EFP classification was evaluated by the area under the ROC curve (AUC) and statistical tests (e.g., Youden's index and kappa coefficient). Additionally, a modified scoring system of the FDI Periodontal Diseases Chairside Guide (FDI-CG) was formulated with the addition of pregnancy for testing accordingly.Overall, there were 22.1% of the participants in early phase of pregnancy (7-13 weeks) and 77.9% in late phase (34-36 weeks). The majority of them were below 35 years and non-smokers without gestational diabetes. Notably, 30.9% of subjects presented with Moderate/Severe periodontitis (CDC/AAP), and 35.8% with Stages II-IV periodontitis (AAP/EFP). Referring to the CDC/AAP definition, the AUC, Youden's index, and κ of the AAP/EFP classification were 0.979, 0.890, and 92.9%, respectively. The modified FDI-CG system improved the AUC (0.815), Youden's index (63.0%), and κ (0.544) with reference to the original one.This study shows that the AAP/EFP classification is in high agreement with the CDC/AAP definition among the pregnant women. The phases of pregnancy-integrated FDI scoring system may serve as a convenient screening tool for maternal periodontal diseases in general dental practice.

This systematic review aimed to assess the current evidence on the directional and non-directional associations of periodontitis with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Electronic search for observational studies on the association of periodontitis with CKD was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Open GREY and Cochrane library up to June 5, 2017. Two reviewers conducted study selection, data collection and assessment of methodological quality using the original and modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies were included, which clearly defined periodontitis and CKD or reported acceptable clinical parameters of these 2 diseases in adults. Meta-analysis was employed to estimate the pooled odds ratio on the non-directional association and the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for the directional association. Among 2530 potential eligible articles, 47 were finally included. Most of them investigated a non-directional association of periodontitis with CKD, including 7 case-control studies and 38 cross-sectional studies; 24 studies had statistical analysis on the non-directional association and 75% of them reported significant results, which were supported further by the meta-analysis (random: odds ratio = 2.12, P .05; fixed: IRR=1.76, P

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Glycine powder air-polishing (GPAP) is an alternative approach to removing subgingival plaque biofilms for effective periodontal therapy. This study aimed to investigate the effect of subgingival GPAP as an additional approach to nonsurgical periodontal treatment in subjects with chronic periodontitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty-seven nonsmoking subjects were recruited. Two quadrants in each subject were randomly assigned, according to a split-mouth design, to receive scaling and root planing (SRP) and GPAP (Test group) or SRP and air flushing with water (Control group) at sites with probing depth ≥5 mm. Clinical parameters, gingival crevicular fluid volumes and the concentrations of interleukin-1β and interleukin-1ra in gingival crevicular fluid were measured at baseline and 1, 3 and 6 months after the treatments. RESULTS At baseline, no statistically significant difference in periodontal and gingival crevicular fluid parameters was found between the Test and Control groups. Overall, the periodontal conditions of all subjects showed significant improvement after the treatments. Notably, the Test group showed greater reduction in gingival crevicular fluid volume (0.37 ± 0.26 μL) than the Control group (0.23 ± 0.30 μL) at 3 months (P

Objective The present study aimed to determine the gingival biotype in Chinese subjects with and without a history of periodontal disease. Material and Methods Thirty periodontally healthy subjects and 20 subjects with treated chronic periodontitis were recruited. The mid-buccal gingival thickness of upper central and lateral incisors was measured by a customized caliper in all subjects. The crown length and crown width of these teeth were recorded in the healthy group, while gingival recession was measured in the periodontitis group. These outcome measures were compared among the groups and sub-groups, and the correlation of gingival biotypes with clinical parameters was analyzed. Results The mean thickness of gingiva in the 30 periodontally healthy subjects was 1.05±0.31 mm (0.47-1.57 mm). The males exhibited a greater crown length than the females (P

Objective EphrinA2‐EphA2 and ephrinB2‐EphB4 critically engage in bidirectional signalling to modulate alveolar bone remodelling. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) derived from Porphyromonas gingivalis on ephrin/Eph signalling in periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PDLFs). Material and Methods The primary cultured PDLFs were incubated in the absence (as a control) or presence of P. gingivalis LPS at 0.001‐10 μg/mL for 24 hours. The PDLFs were then stimulated with P. gingivalis LPS at the optimal concentration (0.1 μg/mL) for different periods (6‐48 hours). The expression of ephrinA2, ephrinB2, EphA2 and EphB4 was assessed by quantitative reverse‐transcription real‐time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. The osteoblastic markers alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and Runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and the osteoclastogenesis‐related factors receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa‐B ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin were also evaluated. Results The ephrinA2 and EphA2 expression was upregulated and EphB4 expression was downregulated by stimulation of P. gingivalis LPS. EphrinA2 mRNA expression in the PDLFs was significantly upregulated from 12 to 48 hours (P

Background and Objectives Although low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been demonstrated to have a biomodulatory effect on periodontal tissue, no systematic review has exclusively addressed its effectiveness as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal treatment. This study aimed to evaluate whether an additional benefit exists for the application of LLLT compared with scaling and root planing (SRP) alone. Material and Methods An extensive search was conducted in the Cochrane Library (Issue 8, 2015), PubMed (1997) and EMBASE (1947) before August 2015 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The bias risk was assessed with the Cochrane tool for risk of bias evaluation. A meta-analysis was performed using REVMAN 5.3. Results After independent screening of 354 initial records, eight publications (seven RCTs) were included. However, six were rated as ‘having a high risk of bias’ as a result of major methodological weakness in ‘allocation concealment’ and ‘blinding of key personnel’. Meta-analysis showed that LLLT-mediated SRP demonstrated significant short-term benefits over SRP monotherapy in the improvement of the probing pocket depth (p = 0.0009 at 1 mo; p = 0.03 at 2 mo) and the level of interleukin-1β in the gingival crevicular fluid (p = 0.01 at 1 mo). Nevertheless, LLLT failed to show significant additional intermediate-term (3 and 6 mo) effects in terms of clinical parameters and alveolar bone density. Conclusion These findings indicated that LLLT showed only short-term additional benefits after conventional SRP. Its long-term effects remain unclear due to substantial methodological weaknesses and an insufficient number of current studies. Future RCTs with better designs and longer follow-up periods are required to assess the effectiveness of LLLT as an adjunctive treatment strategy in patients with periodontal disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Subjects with diabetes and periodontitis are at high risk of cardiovascular events, while the subclinical alterations of cardiac function in this cohort remain unclear. This cross-sectional study investigated the association of periodontitis with left ventricle (LV) structural and functional abnormalities in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 115 subjects with T2DM were divided into Control group (n = 32) with no or mild periodontitis, and the rest with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis (CP) were further categorized into CP-1 (n = 41) and CP-2 (n = 42) based on disease severity. Echocardiography was performed to precisely assess (a) LV hypertrophy by LV mass index (LVMi); (b) LV diastolic function by tissue Doppler imaging index E/e' ratio; and (c) LV systolic function by speckle tracking derived global longitudinal strain (GLS). RESULTS Overall, a linear trend in LVMi, E/e', and GLS existed among the Control, CP-1, and CP-2 groups, respectively (P

Background and ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of osteo/odontogenic differentiation markers and vascular network formation in a 3D cell sheet with varying cell ratios of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).Material and MethodsHuman PDLSCs were isolated and characterized by flow cytometry, and co-cultured with HUVECs for the construction of cell sheets. Both types of cells were seeded on temperature-responsive culture dishes with PDLSCs alone, HUVECs alone and various ratios of the latter cells (1:1, 2:1, 5:1 and 1:5) to obtain confluent cell sheets. The expressions of osteo/odontogenic pathway markers, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone sialoprotein (BSP) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), were analyzed at 3 and 7d using RT-PCR. Further ALP protein quantification was performed at 7 and 14d using ALP assay. The calcium nodule formation was assessed qualitatively and quantitatively by alizarin red assay. Histological evaluations of three cell sheet constructs treated with different combinations (PDLSC-PDLSC-PDLSC/PDLSC-HUVEC-PDLSC/co-culture-co-culture-co-culture) were performed with hematoxylin and eosin and immunofluorescence staining. Statistical analysis was performed using t-test (p

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein (LBP) functions as an acute phase protein and plays a key role in the innate immune response to bacterial challenge. It is a potential acute-phase biomarker in monitoring the progress of severe sepsis, infectious endocarditis and cardiovascular disease. LBP is mainly synthesized in hepatocytes and generates binding of bacteria and/or their products such as LPS to cell surface receptors, thereby initiating an innate host response. Interestingly, LBP has a dual role depending on its relatively low or high concentrations, and augments or downregulates the innate host defense accordingly. Emerging evidence indicates that LBP can be produced by non-hepatocytes, including respiratory type II epithelial cells, intestinal epithelial cells and human gingival epithelia. These findings suggest that LBP formation at extrahepatic cells may be crucial in containing microbial in situ challenge constantly, critically contributing to tissue homeostasis. This review provides an update on the characteristics and novel functions of LBP as well as its gene polymorphisms and potential use as a biomarker in assessing common infectious and inflammatory diseases such as periodontal disease. This paper highlights the expression profiles of LBP in human oral/gingival cells, how its expression could be modulated by periodontopathogens such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, as well as the relevant regulation mechanisms and signaling pathways involved. The critical roles of LBP in periodontal homeostasis and perspectives for its clinical application are discussed.

Background and Objective Macrophage migration-inhibitory factor (MIF) plays crucial roles in the recruitment and activation of macrophages as well as in helping to kill bacteria. This study investigated the expression profile of MIF in human gingiva under different periodontal conditions and its expression patterns induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in gingival epithelia. Material and Methods Gingival tissue samples were collected from deep pockets and clinically healthy sites of 22 nonsmoking subjects with chronic periodontitis. The expression of MIF mRNA and protein was evaluated using real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The in vitro study analyzed the effects of P. gingivalis LPS on the expression of MIF in a reconstituted human gingival epithelia (RHGE) model. Results In gingival epithelia, MIF protein was diffusely expressed from the basal layer to the granular and spinous layers; whereas, in the underlying connective tissues, MIF was observed around the dilated blood vessels in the deep-pocket tissues. A significantly lower level of expression of MIF mRNA and an increased level of expression of MIF protein were found in deep-pocket tissues compared with clinically healthy tissues. Expression of MIF mRNA in the RHGE model was significantly down-regulated by P. gingivalis LPS. Conclusion The present study suggests that MIF expression may be related to periodontal conditions and that its expression profile could be modulated by P. gingivalis LPS. MIF may play a role in periodontal pathogenesis.

Background and Objective Chronic periodontitis causes damage to tooth-supporting tissues, resulting in tooth loss in adults. Recently, cell-sheet-based approaches have been studied to overcome the limitations of conventional cytotherapeutic procedures for periodontal regeneration. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the regenerative potential of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in three-dimensional (3D) cell sheet constructs for periodontal regeneration in vivo. Material and Methods PDLSCs, HUVECs or co-cultures of both cells were seeded onto temperature-responsive culture dishes, and intact cell sheets were fabricated. Cell sheets were wrapped around the prepared human roots in three different combinations and implanted subcutaneously into immunodeficient mice. Results Histological evaluation revealed that after 2, 4 and 8 wk of implantation, periodontal ligament-like tissue arrangements were observed around the implanted roots in experimental groups compared with controls. Vascular lumens were also observed in periodontal compartments of HUVEC-containing groups. Periodontal ligament regeneration, cementogenesis and osteogenesis were evident in the experimental groups at both weeks 4 and 8, as shown by immunostaining for periostin and bone sialoprotein. Human cells in the transplanted cell sheets were stained by immunohistochemistry for the presence of human mitochondria. Conclusions The 3D cell sheet-based approach may be potentially beneficial and is thus encouraged for future regenerative periodontal therapy.

Lui J, Corbet EF, Jin L. Combined photodynamic and low-level laser therapies as an adjunct to nonsurgical treatment of chronic periodontitis. J Periodont Res 2011; 46: 89–96. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Background and Objective: In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of dental lasers for treatment of periodontal diseases. The purpose of this short-term clinical trial was to evaluate the effects of a combination of photodynamic therapy with low-level laser therapy as an adjunct to nonsurgical treatment of chronic periodontitis. Material and Methods: Twenty-four nonsmoking adults with untreated chronic periodontitis were randomly assigned in a split-mouth design to receive scaling and root debridement with or without one course of adjunctive photodynamic therapy and low-level laser therapy within 5 d. Plaque, bleeding on probing, probing depth and gingival recession were recorded at baseline, 1 and 3 mo after the treatment. Gingival crevicular fluid was collected for assay of interleukin-1β levels at baseline, 1 wk and 1 mo. Results: The test teeth achieved greater reductions in the percentage of sites with bleeding on probing and in mean probing depth at 1 mo compared with the control teeth (p

Background and Objective: Growing experimental evidence implicates chronic inflammation/infection due to periodontal diseases as a risk factor for death. The objective was to evaluate the role of periodontitis in premature death in a prospective study. Methods: The causes of death in 3273 randomly-selected subjects, aged 30–40 years, from 1985 to 2001 were registered. At baseline, 1676 individuals underwent a clinical oral examination (Group A) and 1597 did not (Group B). Mortality and causes of death from 1985 to 2001 were recorded according to ICD-9-10. Results: In Groups A (clinically examined group) and B, a total of 110 subjects had died: 40 subjects in Group A, and 70 in Group B. In Group A significant differences were present at baseline between survivors and persons who later died, with respect to dental plaque, calculus, gingival inflammation and number of missing molars in subjects with periodontitis (p

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the expression patterns of the newly discovered human β-defensin-3 (hBD-3) in human gingiva. Background: Human β-defensins (hBDs) are a group of small, broad-spectrum, cationic antimicrobial peptides. Our recent study showed that the expression levels of hBD-1 and 2 peptides were associated with periodontal conditions. Methods: A total of 49 gingival biopsies were collected, including 33 samples from 21 patients with chronic periodontitis and 16 samples from 16 periodontally healthy subjects. The expression of hBD-3 was detected by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Double staining was undertaken to identify hBD-3 peptide-positive cells, using CD-1a and cytokeratin 20 as markers for Langerhans cells and Merkel cells, respectively. Results: hBD-3 peptide was detected in 88% of the samples, which was confined to the gingival epithelia. In healthy control subjects, hBD-3 peptide was more frequently detected in the basal layer as compared to the patients (53% vs. 18%, p < 0.05). In patients, hBD-3 expression extended from the basal layer to the spinous layers (82%), in which hBD-3 was confined to the basal and deep spinous layers in clinically healthy tissues from patients, whereas it extended to the superficial spinous layers in pocket tissues from patients (0% vs. 50%, p < 0.05). In both groups, hBD-3 peptide was expressed not only in gingival keratinocytes, but also in Langerhans cells and Merkel cells. hBD-3 transcripts were detected in 90% of the samples and they were confined to the basal and/or suprabasal layers of gingival epithelia. Conclusions: This study shows that hBD-3 is frequently expressed in gingival epithelia. The appropriate expression of hBD-3 peptide may contribute to the maintenance of periodontal homeostasis, possibly through its antimicrobial effect and promotion of adaptive immune responses.

Background: Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) participates in the interaction of lipopolysacchaide (LPS) with CD14 to modulate the expression of cytokines. Human gingival fibroblast may actively participate in LPS-induced immuno-inflammatory responses through CD14, toll-like receptor (TLR) superfamily, MD-2 and related adaptive proteins, leading to the expression of cytokines. Objectives: The present in vitro study aimed to investigate the possible effect of LBP and E. coli LPS interaction on the expression of cellular LPS receptors and IL-6 by human gingival fibroblast. Methods: The mRNA expression of CD14, LBP, TLR-2, TLR-4, MD-2 and IL-6 in human gingival fibroblast explants was detected by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) in the presence or absence of E. coli LPS and recombinant human LBP (rhLBP), while IL-6 peptides were analyzed by ELISA and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Results: Human gingival fibroblast could constitutively express CD14, MD-2 and IL-6 mRNAs, but not TLR-2, TLR-4 and LBP mRNAs. E. coli LPS induced the messages expression of MD-2, TLR-2 and −4. The expression of both IL-6 message and peptide was up-regulated by E. coli LPS in a dose dependent manner. Whereas rhLBP could significantly down-regulate the expression of both mRNAs and peptides of CD14 and IL-6 but not MD-2 signals in the presence or absence of E. coli LPS. The up-regulated expression of TLR-2 and −4 by E. coli LPS no longer existed in the presence of rhLBP. Conclusions: This study suggests that LBP may down-regulate the expression of IL-6 by human gingival fibroblast. Further studies are warranted to clarify the molecular mechanisms of LBP in regulation of cytokine expression by host cells and to elaborate the relevant clinical implications.

Background: Lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) functions as a crucial molecule in innate host defense responses to bacterial challenge through neutralization of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and activation of cellular responses. Objectives: This study was to investigate the expression profile and levels of LBP in gingival tissues and their associations with periodontal health and disease. Methods: Gingival biopsies were collected from 44 chronic periodontitis patients, including periodontal pocket tissues (PoTs) and the adjacent healthy gingival tissues (HT-Ps), as well as from 15 periodontally healthy subjects as controls (HT-Cs). The peptide and mRNA of LBP were detected by semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. Results: LBP peptide was detected in 90.9% of PoTs (20/22), 84.6% of HT-Ps (11/13) and all HT-Cs (7/7). The expression of LBP was mainly confined to the cytoplasm of granular and keratinized layers of gingival epithelium, spreading from the oral sulcular epithelium to oral epithelium with the expression density decreasing gradually from coronal to apical portion. LBP peptide was also found on endothelial surfaces and/or inside the lumens of blood vessels in connective tissues. The mean LBP expression levels in HT-Cs were significantly higher than those in HT-Ps and PoTs. LBP mRNA was detected in 55% of PoTs (11/20), 55% of HT-Ps (11/20) and 75% of HT-Cs (6/8). Conclusions: We for the first time found the expression of LBP peptide and mRNA in human gingival tissues. Local expression of LBP in gingival tissues might contribute to periodontal homeostasis.

Background and Objective Emerging evidence shows that tooth loss is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia. Vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) is a common consequence of ischemic stroke. This study investigated the association of tooth loss with VCI in patients with acute stroke. Material and Methods A total of 161 subjects with acute ischemic stroke were recruited. Within 1 wk after admission, fasting blood tests were undertaken and the number of teeth present was recorded. VCI was evaluated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Results The patients with loss of ≥ 8 teeth exhibited significantly lower MoCA values as compared to those with loss of ≤ 7 teeth (13.2 ± 6.6 vs. 17.3 ± 6.0, p

Background and Objective Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) is expressed in adipocytes, macrophages and microvascular endothelial cells, and it plays a central role in inflammation, atherosclerosis and metabolic responses. This pilot study investigated the effect of nonsurgical periodontal therapy on the serum levels of A-FABP in subjects with chronic periodontitis. Material and Methods A pilot clinical trial was conducted in 24 otherwise healthy Chinese subjects with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis. The treatment group (n = 12) received nonsurgical periodontal therapy immediately, whereas in the control group (n = 12) the treatment was delayed for 3 months. The serum levels of A-FABP were measured by ELISAs. Other inflammatory and endothelial biomarkers and periodontal conditions were evaluated at baseline and at the 3-month follow-up appointment. Results A-FABP levels decreased significantly in the treatment group compared with the control group (treatment effect: −1.7 ng/mL; 95% confidence interval: −2.8 to −0.6; p = 0.003). The treatment also significantly improved periodontal conditions but had no significant effect on other biomarkers. In the multivariable regression model, the change in the percentage of sites with detectable plaque was significantly associated with the change in the level of A-FABP (beta: 0.04, 95% confidence interval: 0.01–0.06, p = 0.004). Conclusion Within the limitations of this pilot study, the current findings suggest that treatment of periodontitis may significantly decrease the serum levels of A-FABP. Further longitudinal study with a large sample size is warranted to confirm this finding and elaborate the relevant clinical implications.

Background: A single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of −1607 bp of the human matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) gene has been found to be associated with an increased risk of various inflammatory diseases and cancer metastasis. Objectives: The present study aimed to examine the distribution of MMP-1 genotypes in a group of Chinese subjects with generalized aggressive periodontitis and a group of periodontally healthy subjects, and to evaluate the possible association of the MMP-1 promoter polymorphism with aggressive periodontitis. Methods: Genomic DNA was obtained from whole blood samples in 40 Chinese subjects with generalized aggressive periodontitis and 52 periodontally healthy subjects as controls. MMP-1 promoter fragment was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and the polymorphisms were analyzed by restriction endonuclease cleavage. The alleles were detected by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and visualized with ethidium bromide. Results: The detection frequency of 2G allele was significantly higher in the subjects with generalized aggressive periodontitis (68.7%) than in the control subjects (49%) (p

Background: Human β-defensins (hBDs) are antimicrobial peptides which contribute to host innate immunity by disrupting the membrane integrity of a broad spectrum of microorganisms. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the expression profiles of hBD-1 and -2 peptides in gingiva and to assess the possible relations of these antimicrobial peptides with periodontal health and disease. Methods: Seven periodontally healthy subjects and 22 patients with unresolved chronic periodontitis were recruited and the gingival biopsies collected consisted of healthy tissues from the healthy subjects (HT-C); periodontal pocket tissues (PoT) and inflamed connective tissues (ICT) from the base of pocket, i.e. granulation tissues, as well as clinically healthy tissues (HT-P) from the adjacent clinically healthy sites from the patients. The expression of hBD-1 and -2 peptides was detected by immunohistochemistry and quantitatively analyzed with a computerized image processing system. Results: Both hBD-1 and -2 peptides were detected in all periodontally healthy subjects, while hBD-1 was detected in all patients and hBD-2 was found in most of the patients. Their expression was mainly confined to the granular and spinous layers of gingival epithelium, in which hBD-1 was detected in both intercellular spaces and cytoplasm, whereas hBD-2 was mainly observed in the cytoplasm. HT-C expressed significantly higher levels of hBD-2 than HT-P (p < 0.05). Within the patients, both defensins were up-regulated significantly in PoT as compared with the adjacent HT-P (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The present study showed that hBD-1 and -2 were frequently expressed in the granular and spinous layers of gingival epithelia and their expression may be associated with periodontal health and disease.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the volume of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and granulocyte elastase activity in static GCF (sGCF) and flow GCF (fGCF) from subjects with various periodontal conditions. Methods: Eleven periodontally healthy, 10 gingivitis and 12 periodontitis subjects were recruited and the sites investigated consisted of healthy sites from healthy subjects (HH); healthy (HG) and gingivitis sites (GG) from gingivitis subjects; and healthy (HP), gingivitis (GP) and periodontitis sites (PP) from periodontitis subjects. fGCF samples were collected either 1 min or 5 min following sGCF collection by paper strip technique. GCF volume was determined by Periotron® 6000 and granulocyte elastase activity was assayed with a specific substrate [l-pyroglutamyl-l-prolyl-l-valine-p-nitroanilide(pGluProVal-pNA)]. Results: At baseline, no significant differences existed in clinical and GCF parameters between the two matched sites for subsequent collection of fGCF samples either 1 min or 5 min after sGCF sampling in all subjects. The flow exudate in HG and HP sites quickly replenished to sGCF levels, while a delayed replenishment was found in HH sites, despite the similar sGCF volumes of these sites. The GCF volume and elastase levels in the fGCF at 1 min were higher in GP sites than in GG sites (P