Estimation and Comparison of Erythrocyte and Hemoglobin Levels in Subjects with Healthy Periodontium and Chronic Periodontitis

Objective: To compare and evaluate the relationship between anemia and periodontitis by estimation of peripheral blood between healthy patients and chronic periodontitis patients. Material and Methods: Of the total of 230 outpatients approached to participate in the study, 100 eligible patients were selected as per the selection criteria. After written consent, these patients were divided into two groups according to the clinical parameters as healthy and disease (chronic periodontitis) groups. Under aseptic conditions, venous blood samples were obtained by vein-puncture in the ante-cubital fossa without excessive venous stasis and the mean value of erythrocytes (EC), hemoglobin concentration (HGB), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) were measured. Paired t-test was employed to find the significance of study parameters on continuous scale within the group analysis and unpaired t-test (two tailed, dependent) was used to find the significance of study parameters on continuous scale in the inter group analysis. Results: Generally, the healthy group reported higher levels of EC, HGB, MCV and MCH than the periodontitis group. The mean hemoglobin level was significantly higher (p-value<0.05) in healthy patients (12.66 ±1.41 gm/dl) whereas a slightly lower level of 11.32±1.85 gm/dl was observed in patients with chronic periodontitis. Similarly, the range of erythrocyte count of healthy patients was significantly higher (3.69-5.29 million/µl) than chronic periodontitis patients (3.33-5.97 million/µl). Whilst MCV was higher in healthy patients but non-significant, higher mean MCH of 27.75 ± 3.25 pg/cell was reported in healthy patients compared to mean of 25.73 ± 3.22 pg/cell in patients with chronic periodontitis. Conclusion: Significant hematological differences in EC, HGB, MCV and MCH between healthy periodontium and chronic periodontitis subjects were seen indicating mild anemia.

Differential expression of CC chemokines (CCLs) and receptors (CCRs) by human T lymphocytes in response to different Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans serotypes

ABSTRACT In Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, different serotypes have been described based on LPS antigenicity. Recently, our research group has reported a differential immunogenicity when T lymphocytes were stimulated with these different serotypes. In particular, it was demonstrated that the serotype b of A. actinomycetemcomitans has a stronger capacity to trigger Th1- and Th17-type cytokine production. Objective This study aimed to quantify the expression of different CC chemokines (CCLs) and receptors (CCRs) in T lymphocytes stimulated with the different A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes. In addition, the expression of the transcription factors T-bet, GATA-3, RORC2, and Foxp3, master-switch genes implied in the Th1, Th2, Th17, and T-regulatory differentiation, respectively, was analyzed in order to determine T-cell phenotype-specific patterns of CCL and CCR expression upon A. actinomycetemcomitans stimulation. Material and Methods Human naïve CD4+ T lymphocytes were obtained from healthy subjects and stimulated with autologous dendritic cells primed with the different A. actinomycetemcomitans serotypes. The expression levels for the chemokines CCL1, CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, CCL11, CCL17, CCL20, CCL21, CCL25, and CCL28, as well as the chemokine receptors CCR1, CCR2, CCR3, CCR4, CCR5, CCR6, CCR7, CCR8, CCR9, and CCR10 were quantified by qPCR. Similarly, the expression levels for the transcription factors T-bet, GATA-3, RORC2, and Foxp3 were quantified and correlated with the CCL and CCR expression levels. Results Higher expression levels of CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, CCL20, CCL21, CCL28, CCR1, CCR2, CCR5, CCR6, CCR7, and CCR9 were detected in T lymphocytes stimulated with the serotype b of A. actinomycetemcomitans compared with the other serotypes. In addition, these higher expression levels of CCLs and CCRs positively correlated with the increased levels of T-bet and RORC2 when T lymphocytes were stimulated with the serotype b. Conclusion A T-lymphocyte response biased towards a Th1- and Th17-pattern of CCL and CCR expression was detected under stimulation with the serotype b of A. actinomycetemcomitans.

Relação entre doença periodontal e anemia / Relationship between periodontal diseases and anemia

Doença Periodontal é um grupo de doenças inflamatórias de origem infecciosa que afetam os tecidos de proteção e sustentação do dente. A perpetuação da resposta do hospedeiro devido à infecção bacteriana persistente interrompe os mecanismos homeostáticos e resulta na liberação de citocinas pró-inflamatórias, proteases e prostanóides, que podem promover destruição da matriz extracelular na gengiva e estimular a reabsorção óssea, além de estimular a produção de proteínas de fase aguda, sendo a IL-6 seu principal indutor. Dentre as proteínas de fase aguda cuja produção é intensamente aumentada durante a infecção e inflamação está a hepcidina que é predominantemente produzida pelo fígado, tendo como principal função a regulação homeostática do metabolismo de ferro, a modulação da defesa orgânica e contribuindo para a patogênese de anemias de causas diversas. O objetivo do estudo foi realizar uma revisão da literatura utilizando uma consulta às bases de dados Cochrane, Bireme e MedLine, tendo como eixo as seguintes palavras-chaves em associação: periodontite crônica, Inflamação e hemoglobina. Foram encontradas 101 publicações científicas por meio de busca eletrônica, sendo 9 da Bireme, 21 do Pubmed e 71 da Cochrane, além de títulos oriundos de referências de outros artigos. Concluiu-se que há indícios que hepcidina esteja associada ao processo inflamatório sendo responsável pela homeostase do ferro e, desta forma, contribuindo para processo patológico da anemia da inflamação crônica. Constatou-se ainda a escassez de artigos que investiguem a possível associação entre a doença periodontal e a anemia

Periodontal diseases can be defined as inflammatory disease from infectious origin that affect the protection and support tooth tissues. The host response perpetuation due to persistent bacterial infection disrupts the homeostatic mechanisms and results in releasing of the proinflammatory cytokines, proteases and prostanoids that can promote the destruction of extracellular matrix in the gingiva and cause bone resorption, also stimulate the production of acute phase proteins, being the IL-6 the main inductor. Among the acute phase proteins whose production is widely increased during infection and inflammation, there is hepcidin which is predominantly produced by the liver, having as main function the homeostatic regulation of iron metabolism, organic defense modulation and contributing to the pathogenesis of various causes of anemias. The aim of the study was to perform a literature review by using databases Cochrane, Bireme and MedLine, and the following keywords in combination: chronic periodontitis, inflammation and hemoglobin. A total of 101 scientific publications was found by electronic search, 9 from Bireme, 21 from PubMed and 71 from Cochrane, also titles from references by other articles. It was concluded that the hepcidin is associated to inflammatory process and it is responsible for the iron homeostasis therefore leading is associated to the pathologic process of the chronic disease anemia. Also, it was noted the lack of manuscripts that investigate the possible association between periodontal diseases and anemia.

Determinação fenotípica das haptoglobinas em pacientes com dor crônica causada por desordens temporomandibulares / Haptoglobin phenotypic determination in patients with chronic pain caused by temporomandibular disorders

Os fenótipos do sistema hemoglobina-haptoglobina (Hb-Hp) foram determinados em 124 indivíduos, dos quais cem eram pacientes portadores de algia crônica por desordens temporomandibulares (DTMs) e 24 normais, sem nenhuma dor corporal, durante os anos de 2000-2003. O sistema Hb-Hp apresentou polimorfismo Hp1-1, Hp2-1 e Hp2-2, respectivamente, em 100 e 85 por cento, e anahaptoglobinemia (Hp 0), em 15 por cento da amostra estudada. O genótipo Hp1-1 esteve presente significativamente (p<0,0001) em pacientes com DTMs, independentemente do tipo clínico da DTM diagnosticada, podendo sugerir a Hp1-1 como provável marcador genético de suscetibilidade para o desenvolvimento de algias crônicas por DTMs

Comparative study of experimentally induced and post-mortem pink teeth / Estudo comparativo da indução experimental e pós-mortem do chamado dente cor-de-rosa

Forty-eight pink teeth from eight male cadavers, all dying from unnatural causes were studied for the pink tooth phenomenon. Perfusion with whole and lysed blood, at different temperatures was carried out, followed by longitudinal sectioning for histological observation. Another 30 unblemished human teeth were used to reproduce the phenomeron in vitro to help clarify its pathogenesis