Changes in substance P and neurokinin A in gingival crevicular fluid in response to periodontal treatment.
BACKGROUND
The study of periodontitis provides a unique model for assessing the involvement of neuropeptides in inflammatory disease.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of periodontal treatment, resulting in a return to periodontal health, on the levels of substance P (SP) and neurokinin A (NKA) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF).


METHODS
We completed a cause of non-surgical treatment for 8 subjects with periodontitis (6 females 2 males, mean age 45.1, range 38-67 years) started a course of non-surgical periodontal treatment. Clinical indices were measured at 2 periodontitis sites at the initial visit and at 8 weeks after the completion of treatment in each subject. A 30-s sample of GCF was collected from each test site using perio paper strips. Each strip was placed into 500 microl of ice cold 0.1 M PBS, pH 7.4, vortex mixed for 30 s, and then stored at -70 degrees C until analysed by radioimmunoassay.


RESULTS
The clinical condition of all test sites improved as a result of the periodontal treatment. The levels (pg/30 s sample) of SP fell from 56.3 (SD 66.0) at the initial visit to 4.2 (3.1) after treatment, p=0.017. The concentration (pg/microl) of SP in GCF fell from 140.6 (175.6) to 24.2 (11.1), p=0.036. The levels of NKA fell from 30.5 (17.1) to 10.6 (4.9), p=0.012 whereas the concentration changed little from 85.4 (43.5) to 61.6 (15.1), p=0.41.


CONCLUSIONS
The reduction in inflammation resulting from effective periodontal treatment is associated with a reduction in the levels of tachykinins in gingival crevicular fluid.
Division of Restorative Dentistry (Periodontics), School of Dentistry, Queen's University of Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK.
F T
FT
Lundy
B H
BH
Mullally
D J
DJ
Burden
P J
PJ
Lamey
C
C
Shaw
G J
GJ
Linden
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D012534:Dental Scaling; D005260:Female; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020078:Neurogenic Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D015288:Neurokinin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D015320:Tachykinins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D015320:Tachykinins; D013373:Substance P; D015288:Neurokinin A