Radioimmunoassay quantification of adrenomedullin in human gingival crevicular fluid.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether adrenomedullin (ADM), a multifunctional peptide with key roles in host antimicrobial defence and inflammation, was present and quantifiable in human gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and to study its relationship with periodontal health and disease.


METHODS
GCF samples (30s) were collected using perio-paper strips from one diseased site in 21 subjects with periodontal disease and one healthy site from 19 control subjects with no evidence of periodontal disease. Samples were analysed by radioimmunoassay using a specific anti-human ADM antibody.


RESULTS
Measurable adrenomedullin-like immunoreactivity (ADM-LI) was present in all the GCF samples collected. ADM-LI was significantly higher in periodontitis sites (mean 493.6 pg) than in control healthy sites (mean 248.5 pg), p = 0.0016.


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that ADM is present in GCF at levels at which it could have an antibacterial role in the gingival crevice and modulate the pathophysiology of periodontal inflammation.
Lundy
Fionnuala T
FT
Oral Science Research Centre, School of Dentistry, Queen's University, Grosvenor Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT12 6BP, UK. f.lundy@qub.ac.uk
O'Hare
Mairead M T
MM
McKibben
Bronac M
BM
Fulton
Catherine R
CR
Briggs
James E
JE
Linden
Gerard James
GJ
D053607:Adrenomedullin / Q000032:analysis*; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000032:analysis*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010519:Periodontium / Q000473:pathology; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D053607:Adrenomedullin