title: Interleukin-12 and interleukin-16 in periodontal disease.
abstract: The immune system plays an important role in the pathological process of periodontitis. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is produced by monocytes, macrophages and neutrophils. These cells are proinflammatory infiltrates in periodontitis tissues. High IL-12 will contribute to the immune reaction to Th1 type. IL-12 is an inducer of INF-r production. IFN-gamma itself can also activate IL-12 production. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of periodontopathogens are also activators of IL-12. Interleukin-16 (IL-16) can cause the high affinity of IL-2 receptors on CD4+ cells and is chemotaxis to Th1 cells and CD4+ T cells. IL-16 can stimulate monocytes to produce proinflammatory cytokines and is highly associated with inflammation including arthritis, enteritis and allergic rhinitis. However, the information on IL-12 and IL-16 in periodontitis is not clear. In this study, 105 GCF samples were collected from 19 periodontal disease patients and 6 healthy ones. The clinical periodontal indices, the habits of cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking were recorded. ELISA was used to determine the levels of IL-12 and IL16 in the GCF. In the non-smoking/non-alcohol-drinking individuals: (1) the total amount of IL-12 (but not IL-16) was significantly higher in chronic periodontitis (CP) sites than gingivitis (G) or healthy (H) sites; (2) the diseased sites (CP + G) had a significantly higher total amount of IL-12 (but not IL-16) than the H sites. Among CP sites, both the concentration and total amount of IL-16 (but not IL-12) were significantly higher in alcohol drinkers/cigarette smokers as compared to the non-drinkers/non-smokers. CP sites of the drinkers/smokers also had significantly deeper probing pocket depth than sites of those without these two habits. IL-12 and IL-16 may be related to the pathogenesis of periodontal disease, but within the periodontitis sites, IL-16 may be related to disease severity in alcohol drinkers/smokers.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Dental Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100 Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung, Taiwan 807, Taiwan.
authors.forename: I-San
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Chi-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Ya-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Kun-Yen
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Yi-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chun-Cheng
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hung
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism*; D019410:Interleukin-16 / Q000378:metabolism*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012907:Smoking
chemical_list: D019410:Interleukin-16; D018664:Interleukin-12