IL-12 and IL-18 levels in serum and gingival tissue in aggressive and chronic periodontitis

• Published in: Oral diseases Vol. 17; no. 5; pp. 522 - 529
• Main Authors: Sánchez-Hernández, PE, Zamora-Perez, AL, Fuentes-Lerma, M, Robles-Gómez, C, Mariaud-Schmidt, RP, Guerrero-Velázquez, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2011; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; Aggressive Periodontitis - immunology; Biopsy; Chronic Periodontitis - immunology; Cytokines; Dental Plaque Index; Dentistry; Female; Gingiva - chemistry; Gingiva - immunology; Gingival Hemorrhage - classification; Gingival Hemorrhage - immunology; Humans; interleukin-12; Interleukin-12 - analysis; Interleukin-12 - blood; interleukin-18; Interleukin-18 - analysis; Interleukin-18 - blood; Male; Middle Aged; Oral hygiene; Periodontal Attachment Loss - classification; Periodontal Attachment Loss - immunology; Periodontal Index; Periodontal Pocket - classification; Periodontal Pocket - immunology; periodontitis; Periodontium - immunology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1354-523X; 1601-0825
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-0825.2011.01798.x

Oral Diseases (2011) 17, 522–529 Objective:  The aim of this study was to compare the levels of interleukin‐12 (IL‐12) and IL‐18 in gingival tissue and serum between patients with chronic (n = 18) or aggressive periodontitis (n = 12) and healthy subjects (HS) (n = 9). Methods:  Gingival tissue biopsies and serum were obtained from all study subjects. The tissue was homogenized and cytokines IL‐12 and IL‐18 were quantified by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Results:  Interleukin‐12 levels in gingival tissue were significantly higher in aggressive periodontitis patients than in HS; serum IL‐12 was significantly elevated in aggressive periodontitis relative to both chronic periodontitis (CP) and HS. IL‐18 levels in gingival tissue showed no significant differences between the groups. Patients with CP showed significantly elevated levels of serum IL‐18 compared with HS; however, the aggressive periodontitis group showed no significant differences with either the CP group or the HS. Conclusions:  Our results showed higher levels of IL‐12 in gingival tissue and serum of patients with aggressive periodontitis, and IL‐18 was elevated in the serum of CP patients. The patterns of IL‐12 and IL‐18 are different in chronic and aggressive periodontitis; this finding suggests distinctive mechanisms of immunopathogenesis between these forms of periodontitis.