Association of interleukin-10 gene promoter polymorphisms with chronic and aggressive periodontitis.

OBJECTIVE: Interleukin-10 gene promoter polymorphisms have been associated with interleukin-10 decreased production, thereby playing a role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. This study aimed to investigate whether interleukin-10 single nucleotide polymorphisms at positions -1087(G/A) and -597(C/A) are associated with generalised chronic periodontitis and localised aggressive periodontitis. METHODS: Genomic DNA samples were isolated from 276 unrelated Jordanian participants. Subjects were categorised into 86 periodontally healthy controls, 105 chronic periodontitis patients and 85 localised aggressive periodontitis patients. Genotype frequencies were calculated, and differences were determined using Pearson chi-squared test, and odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were included. RESULTS: The frequencies of the -1087A and -597A alleles were significantly more common in chronic periodontitis patients than controls. The A-positive allele genotypes (GA, AA) at position -1087 and A-positive allele genotypes (CA, AA) at position -597 appeared to increase the risk of having chronic periodontitis. No significant differences were observed in the genotype frequencies between localised aggressive periodontitis patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate the possible use of interleukin-10 single nucleotide polymorphisms as genetic markers in chronic periodontitis patients and further emphasise the molecular differences between chronic periodontitis and aggressive periodontitis.

Depressive symptoms in relation to periodontal health in a Jordanian sample.

OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional study examines the relationship of depression symptoms to periodontal diseases and decayed (D), missing (M) and filled teeth (FT) in a sample of the Jordanian population. METHODS: Subjects escorting dental patients attending two dental hospitals in North Jordan were included. Each subject received full periodontal examination, including probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival index (GI) and plaque index (PI). The numbers of M, D and F teeth were also recorded. The Zung Self-rating Depression Scale was used to determine susceptibility to depression. RESULTS: The frequency of high susceptibility to depression among periodontitis-free subjects and those with periodontitis was found to be 48% and 50% respectively. There was no statistically significant association between susceptibility to depression symptoms and periodontal parameters, including PPD, CAL, PI and GI (P > 0.05). HOWEVER, SUBJECTS WITH LOW SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DEPRESSION HAD SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FT THAN SUBJECTS HIGHLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO DEPRESSION. CONCLUSIONS: High susceptibility to depression does not play a significant role in the aetiology and severity of periodontitis in the population studied.

The proteoglycans of human cementum: immunohistochemical localization in healthy, periodontally involved and ageing teeth.

Cementum is believed to play a regulatory role in periodontal regeneration through a variety of macromolecules present in its extracellular matrix (ECM), among which are the proteoglycans (PG). The PG of human cementum have not been fully characterized. This study has used a standard indirect immunoperoxidase technique to investigate the presence and distribution of PG species within the ECM of human cementum. Freshly extracted human permanent teeth were separated into 8 age groups; each group was subdivided to include healthy and periodontally involved teeth, which were then fixed, demineralized and wax-embedded. Sections were incubated with polyclonal antibodies recognizing protein core epitopes in the large chondroitin sulphate PG versican and the small interstitial PG decorin, biglycan, fibromodulin and lumican. Immunoreactivity to versican, decorin, biglycan and lumican was evident at the borders and lumina of a proportion of lacunae and canaliculi surrounding cementocytes in cellular cementum, as well as on inserted periodontal ligament (PDL) fibres. Biglycan was also present along incremental lines in cellular cementum, whereas staining for fibromodulin was negative. In acellular cementum, no immunoreactivity was evident with any of the antibodies used except on inserted PDL fibres. These results indicate that versican, decorin, biglycan and lumican are components of the ECM of cellular, but not of acellular cementum. Neither age nor periodontal diseases appear to qualitatively influence the PG population of cementum. The distribution of PG epitopes around a proportion of cementocytes suggests the existence of different cementocyte subpopulations, or a differential response of these cells to yet undefined stimuli.

Immunolocalization of glycosaminoglycans in ageing, healthy and periodontally diseased human cementum.

The distribution of glycosaminoglycans in the extracellular matrix of human cementum was investigated in periodontally involved and periodontal disease-free teeth separated into eight different age groups (from 12 to 90 years), to investigate possible changes in the distribution of glycosaminoglycan species associated with ageing and periodontal disease. A standard indirect immunoperoxidase technique was used, with a panel of monoclonal antibodies, 2B6, 3B3, 5D4, and 7D4, that recognize epitopes in chondroitin-4-sulphate/dermatan sulphate (C-4S/DS), chondroitin-6-sulphate (C-6S), keratan sulphate (KS) and a novel sulphated chondroitin sulphate (CS) epitope, respectively. Intense positive staining for C4-S/DS was observed at the margins and lumina of almost all the lacunae and canaliculi in cellular cementum in all sections. Immunoreactivity to C6-S, KS and novel CS epitopes was limited to a proportion of lacunae and canaliculi in all sections, although C6-S and the novel CS epitopes were more widely distributed than KS. In acellular cementum, there was no demonstrable staining for any of the glycosaminoglycans except where periodontal ligament (Sharpey's) fibres insert; periodontal ligament fibres inserting in cellular cementum also demonstrated positive immunoreactivity. In addition, the cementoblasts on the outer root surface, as well as the pericellular areas around a proportion of these cells, demonstrated positive immunoreactivity. These results indicate that glycosaminoglycan species present in human cementum include C4-S, DS, C6-S, and novel sulphated CS epitopes. KS is also present in cementum but is limited to a more restricted proportion of lacunae and canaliculi. Regional differences in the distribution of glycosaminoglycans exist between the two cementum types, but no qualitative differences in that distribution were observed between the various age groups or between periodontally involved and periodontal disease-free teeth. The immunoreactivity observed in a proportion of lacunae after staining for C6-S, KS, and novel sulphated CS epitopes could suggest the existence of different cementocyte subpopulations.