Effects of plaque, psychological stress and gender on crevicular Il-1beta and Il-1ra secretion.
OBJECTIVE
The study aimed to analyse (a) whether the effects of psychological stress and of experimental gingivitis on interleukin-1beta (Il-1beta) described before are compensated by concomitant increases in Il-1 receptor antagonist (Il-1ra), and (b) whether there do exist any gender differences in the Il-1 responses to experimental gingivitis and to psychological stress.


METHODS
Thirteen medical students participating in a major academic exam (seven males, six females) and 14 medical students without academic stress (eight males, six females) refrained from oral hygiene in two antagonistic quadrants for 28 days (plaque) while they maintained oral hygiene in the remaining quadrants (hygiene). Weekly crevicular fluid samples of plaque and hygiene sites were assayed for Il-1beta and Il-1ra.


RESULTS
Neither stress nor experimental gingivitis exerted significant effects on Il-1ra. In controls, we observed significant gender and gender x time effects on Il-1beta; comparing stress groups, gender x time and stress x gender x time interactions became significant. Women show a reduced Il-1beta response to plaque at rest and an increased response under stress. Similar results were found with respect to bleeding on probing.


CONCLUSIONS
Gender must be controlled in studies on periodontal responses to pathogens. Stress plays a role in these responses.
Waschul
Bernd
B
Department of Periodontology, University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Herforth
Armin
A
Stiller-Winkler
Renate
R
Idel
Helga
H
Granrath
Nicole
N
Deinzer
Renate
R
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000276:immunology*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000276:immunology; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010512:Periodontal Index; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000032:analysis*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology*
C507763:IL1RN protein, human; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D007375:Interleukin-1; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins