Apoptotic Genes are Differentially Expressed in Aged Gingival Tissue

• Published in: Journal of dental research Vol. 90; no. 7; pp. 880 - 886
• Main Authors: González, O.A., Stromberg, A.J., Huggins, P.M., Gonzalez-Martinez, J., Novak, M.J., Ebersole, J.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.07.2011; International Association for Dental Research; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Aging; Aging - genetics; Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - genetics; Biological and medical sciences; Dentistry; Facial bones, jaws, teeth, parodontium: diseases, semeiology; Female; Gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Genomes; Gingiva; Gingiva - cytology; Gingiva - pathology; Gum disease; Inflammatory diseases; Macaca mulatta; Male; Medical sciences; Non tumoral diseases; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Periodontitis; Periodontitis - genetics; Periodontium; Research Reports; apoptosis; gingival tissue; gerontology; gene expression; periodontitis; Senescence; Stomatology; Monkey; Gene expression; Periodontal disease; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Gene; Periodontitis; Animal; Primates; Genetics; Gingiva; Age; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 0022-0345; 1544-0591
• DOI: 10.1177/0022034511403744

Cellular and molecular changes of the periodontium associated with a higher prevalence of oral diseases (e.g., chronic periodontitis) in aged populations have received little attention. Since impaired apoptosis during aging appears to be related to chronic inflammatory disorders, we hypothesized that the expression of genes associated with apoptotic processes are altered in aged healthy and periodontitis-affected gingival tissue. Ontology analysis of 88 genes related to apoptotic pathways was performed in gingival biopsies of healthy and periodontitis sites from young, adult, and aged non-human primates (Macaca mulatta), using the GeneChip® Rhesus Macaque Genome Array. Lower expression of anti-apoptotic and higher expression of pro-apoptotic genes were associated with healthy gingival tissue from young compared with aged animals. Few differences in gene expression were observed in healthy gingival tissue between adult and aged animals. Comparison between healthy and periodontitis gingival tissues showed that the up- or down-regulated apoptotic genes in diseased gingival tissue are different in adults compared with aged animals. These results suggest that apoptotic events normally occurring in gingival tissues could be reduced in aging,and unique aspects of apoptotic pathways are potentially involved in the pathophysiology of perio-dontal disease in adult vs. aged gingival tissues.