Salivary IL-4: A Bleeding Predictor on Probing in Descendants of Severe Periodontitis Patients.

OBJECTIVE: Periodontitis in younger patients can cause severe periodontal destruction, and cases are usually more numerous in members of the same family due to the sharing of susceptibility factors. Thus, the use of a familial study design could improve our understanding of initial alterations in periodontal tissue. This observational study aimed to evaluate the salivary inflammatory pattern in descendants of periodontitis patients and identify any correlation with the clinical periodontal condition. STUDY DESIGN: Fifteen children of Generalized Aggressive Periodontitis (GAgP) patients and 15 children with periodontally healthy parents were evaluated for their plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BoP), and probing depth (PD). The concentrations of interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-17, IL-1ß, IL-4, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured in unstimulated saliva using the Luminex MAGPix platform. RESULTS: Children from the GAgP group presented higher probing depth (PD) and bleeding on probing (BoP) (p<0.05) and lower release of IL-4 in saliva (p<0.05) than the periodontally healthy group. The cytokines IL-10, IFN-γ, IL-17, and IL-4 were negatively correlated with the gingival index, while IL-4 was negatively correlated with BoP. A regression analysis revealed that salivary IL-4 and plaque were predictors of BoP. CONCLUSIONS: Children of GAgP parents presented lower salivary IL-4 and higher BoP and PD than children from periodontally healthy families. Additionally, salivary IL-4 was a predictor of bleeding on probing in the children, suggesting that the lower presence of this anti-inflammatory cytokine is related to higher clinical inflammation.

BMP-2 and asporin expression regulate 5-aza-dC-mediated osteoblast/cementoblast differentiation of periodontal dental ligament mesenchymal progenitor cells.

Periodontal dental ligament (PDL) is composed of heterogeneous population of mesenchymal progenitor cells. The mechanisms that regulate the differentiation of these cells towards osteoblast/cementoblast phenotype are not fully understood. Some studies have demonstrated that is possible to change the pattern of cell differentiation via epigenetic mechanisms. The proposal of this study was to investigate whether 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) treatment would stimulate the osteoblast/cementoblast differentiation of periodontal ligament mesenchymal progenitor cells (PDL-CD105+ enriched cells), characterized as low osteoblast potential, through bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) modulation. PDL-CD105+ cells from a single donor were cloned and characterized in two populations as high osteoblast/cementoblast potential (HOP) and low osteoblast/cementoblast potential (LOP) by mineralization in vitro and expression of osteogenic gene markers, such as runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OCN), bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) and asporin (ASPN). Next, two LOP clones (L1 and L2) were pretreated with 5-aza-dC (10 µM) for 48 h, cultured under osteogenic condition and evaluated for mineralized matrix in vitro, transcription modulation of osteogenic gene markers, methylated and hydroxymethylated DNA levels of BMP-2 and ASPN and intracellular/extracellular expression of BMP-2 protein. LOP clones showed high expression of ASPN transcripts associated with low mRNA levels of BMP-2, RUNX2, ALP, and OCN. 5-aza-dC treatment raised hydroxymethylated DNA levels of BMP-2 and increased the expression of BMP-2 transcripts in both LOP clones. However, BMP-2 protein (intracellular and secreted forms) was detected only in L1 cell clones, in which it was observed an increased expression of osteoblast/cementoblast markers (RUNX2, ALP, OCN) associated with higher mineralization in vitro. In L2 cell clones, 5-aza-dC increased gene expression of ASPN, with no great change in for osteoblast/cementoblast differentiation potential. These data show that 5-aza-dC improves osteoblast/cementoblast differentiation of PDL-CD105+ cells via BMP-2 secretion, and this effect depends on low levels of ASPN expression.

Electrical stimulation enhances early palatal wound healing in mice.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Electrical stimulation (ES) has been used to treat chronic wound and other clinical applications, showing favorable results in wound closure. It was hypothesized that ES can present a positive effect on oral mucosa healing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ES during the palatal mucosa early healing process in Swiss mice. METHODS: Ninety animals were divided into two groups: Control (C; n = 45), which received Sham ES applications, and Test (ES; n = 45), which received ES (100 µA; 9 kHz; 660 mVpp) once a day for 3 days. A full thickness wound was performed with a 1.5 mm diameter biopsy punch in the hard palate. Histologically, the following parameters were evaluated: palatal wound closure and epithelial and connective wound edge distance (EED and CED). Furthermore, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10 TNF-α, and VEGF cytokine levels were evaluated by multiplex assay. The percentage of collagen fibers was assessed using the polarization method and the Smad proteins using the immunofluorescence method. RESULTS: Palatal wound closure presented a significant reduction on day 5 in the ES group (p = 0.01). Additionally, both EED and CED were shorter for all time points in the ES group (p < 0.05), and the inflammatory markers IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and VEGF were reduced (p < 0.05). There were no differences in collagen fibers and phospho-Smad2 between the groups. CONCLUSION: ES had a positive effect on early palatal wound closure outcomes, as well as on inflammatory markers.

Dentin hypersensitivity reduction using an arginine-based approach after non-surgical periodontal treatment.

PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of two oral hygiene regimens in the reduction of dentin hypersensitivity (DH) on subjects undergoing non-surgical periodontal treatment (NST), over a period of 8 weeks. METHODS: 60 subjects that were randomly assigned to: Test group - NST followed in-office application of an arginine-based professional paste and toothbrushing with arginine-based toothpaste at home (n= 30) and Control group - NST followed in-office application of a fluoride-free prophylaxis paste and toothbrushing with a toothpaste based on sodium monofluorophosphate 0.76%, at home (n= 30). Air blast sensitivity assessments were made using the Schiff scale. The sensitivity parameters were measured at baseline, 1, 4 and 8 weeks. RESULTS: After 1 week, DH reduction was statistically significant for the test group (63.6%) compared to baseline, while no significant reduction was observed for the Control group (4.8%). After 4-8 weeks, the reductions were 81.6%/86.3% for the test group and 9.5%/14.2% for the Control group. When comparing the two groups, the test group showed a superior DH reduction in all evaluation periods (P< 0.05). Within the limits of the present study, it was concluded that the test oral hygiene regimen can effectively reduce dentin hypersensitivity during the most critical period after non-surgical periodontal treatment (up to 8 weeks). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The arginine-based approach provided significantly greater dentin hypersensitivity (DH) relief after non-surgical periodontal treatment (NST) when compared to the control. The combination of the in-office paste application with the daily used toothpaste may be a useful tool to reduce DH, an unpleasant and common condition that affects a large number of subjects, particularly during the initial weeks following NST.