Associations of periodontal microorganisms with salivary proteins and MMP‐8 in gingival crevicular fluid

Abstract

We investigated in subjects with and without periodontitis, the levels of certain salivary proteins and matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), in relation to the presence of specific periodontal pathogens. Clinical parameters were recorded at baseline, in 1985 and in 2009 from 99 subjects; 56 with and 43 without periodontitis (mean age 59.2 ± SD 2.9). Saliva samples collected in 2009 were analysed for salivary albumin, total protein and immunoglobulins A, G and M. GCF was collected for analysis of MMP-8 levels and for the PCR-analysis of the microorganisms Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Treponema denticola and Tannerella forsythia. Periodontitis patients were more often infected by P. gingivalis (p < 0.05), P. intermedia and T. denticola (p = 0.01) than controls. Salivary albumin and protein concentrations were significantly higher in subjects with T. denticola (p < 0.05). MMP-8 levels were significantly higher in subjects with T. denticola (p < 0.001) and T. forsythia (p < 0.01). No corresponding results were found in salivary immunoglobulin concentrations. The presence of T. denticola seemed to increase salivary albumin and total protein concentrations, and GCF levels of MMP-8. Both T. denticola and T. forsythia seemed to induce a cascade of host response with increased MMP-8 in GCF.