title: Association of early onset periodontitis microbiota with aspartate aminotransferase activity in gingival crevicular fluid.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the activity of the enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) using the colorimetric PerioGard (PTM) test and the subgingival microflora in early onset periodontitis lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 25 otherwise healthy individuals exhibiting early onset periodontitis (EOP). In each patient four experimental sites were identified comprising one deep periodontal pocket (PD >5 mm) randomly chosen in each quadrant. Bacterial samples were obtained from the experimental sites, consecutively cultured anaerobically and in 10% CO(2) using selective and nonselective media. Isolates were characterized to species level by conventional biochemical tests and various identification kits. Clinical measurements as well as AST activity, assessed either as positive or negative using the PTM, were recorded at the same sites.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-two sites exhibited AST positive and 38 AST negative activity. Analysis of bacterial counts using the ANOVA (Mann Whitney U-test) showed that Streptococcus intermedius, Peptostreptococcus micros, Campylobacter concisus, Bacteroides forsythus, Camplobacter gracilis, Campylobacter rectus and Selenomonas sputigena were significantly higher in sites with AST-positive activity. The odds ratio of having high prevalence of S. intermedius, P. micros, C. concisus, B. forsythus, C. gracilis, C. rectus and S. sputigena in the presence of a positive AST site was very high (range: 3.5-17.0). Streptococcus sanguis, Actinomyces naeslundii, Gemella morbillorum, Capnocytophaga gingivalis, Veillonella parvula, Fusobacterium varium, Eubacterium lentum and Prevotella oralis were detected in significantly higher proportions in sites with AST negative activity and manifested a negative odds ratio in the presence of AST positive sites. The logistic regression analysis revealed that smoking and bleeding upon probing showed a significant association with AST activity, while plaque and suppuration were not found to be significant predictors of AST activity. The co-infection of Porphyromonas gingivalis, B. forsythus and P. micros, or P. gingivalis, B. forsythus and C. rectus were found to be significantly associated with the AST activity (p<0.001). AST positive sites revealed significantly higher occurrence of co-infections by P. gingivalis, B. forsythus, S. sputigena or by P. gingivalis, B. forsythus, S. intermedius than AST negative sites (p<0.001). P. gingivalis, B. forsythus, A. naeslundii co-infection was found significantly higher in the AST negative sites (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study found a high level of agreement between the presence of putative periodontal pathogens and positive AST scores at periodontal sites that clinically were considered to be potentially disease active. Prospective studies should be performed to confirm the findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Athens, Greece. kvich@tee.gr
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kamma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakou
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Persson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio
chemical_list: D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases