Qualitative and quantitative studies of Gc (vitamin D-binding protein) in normal subjects and patients with periodontal disease.

Abstract

Qualitative and quantitative studies of Gc (Vitamin D‐binding protein) were carried out with whole and parotid saliva from 13 patients with periodontal disease, and 19 control subjects. Using an ELISA technique, a low concentration of Gc was found in the parotid saliva of all subjects. The whole saliva of patients with periodontal disease contained concentrations of Gc which were significantly increased over those in either dentulous or edentulous control subjects (p<0.01). In addition, the Gingival Index scores of these patients correlated with the concentration of Gc (r = 0.87; p<0.01). Rocket immunoelectrophoresis showed that > 90% of Gc in saliva from these patients was complexed with G‐actin.