title: The association between neutrophil numbers and interleukin-1alpha concentrations in gingival crevicular fluid of smokers and non-smokers with periodontal disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test whether neutrophil numbers are directly correlated with interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) concentrations in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients with periodontitis, and to investigate the effects of smoking on these parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 99 GCF samples from 33 patients (14 smokers) suffering from severe chronic periodontitis were collected using Durapore filter strips. Polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMN) numbers were counted using a Coulter cell counter and IL-1alpha levels were determined by ELISA. Total GCF protein was measured by Bio-Rad assay as a surrogate measure of GCF volume.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean IL-1alpha concentrations were significantly reduced in smokers compared with non-smokers (non-smokers: 3.29+/-2.02 pg/microg protein, smokers 1.59+/-1.13 pg/microg protein). There was no association between PMN numbers and IL-1alpha concentrations found when analysed either by site or by patient. PMN numbers were not significantly different between the two groups (non-smokers: 1.16 x 10(6)+/-1.04 x 10(6); smokers: 7.30 x 10(5)+/-8.07 x 10(5)). Smoking did not affect mean total protein concentration of samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking significantly decreased IL-1alpha concentrations in GCF without affecting GCF volume sampled. The lack of association between IL-1alpha concentration and neutrophil numbers suggests that the reduced IL-1alpha concentrations seen in smokers is independent of any possible effect of smoking on neutrophil chemotaxis, and further suggests that smoking may directly inhibit IL-1alpha production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Oral Health, Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, Turner Street, London E1 2AD, UK.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petropoulos
authors.forename: Ian J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.forename: Francis J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000473:pathology*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012907:Smoking / Q000276:immunology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D011506:Proteins