Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and NPY Y1 receptor in periodontal health and disease.
OBJECTIVE
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) coordinates inflammation and bone metabolism which are central to the pathogenesis of periodontitis. The present study was designed to determine whether NPY was quantifiable in human gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and to test the null hypothesis that GCF levels of NPY were the same in periodontal health and disease. A subsidiary aim was to determine the potential functionality of released NPY by detecting the presence of NPY Y1 receptors in gingival tissue.


METHODS
The periodontitis group consisted of 20 subjects (10 females and 10 males) mean age 41.4 (S.D. 9.6 years). The control group comprised 20 subjects (10 females and 10 males) mean age 37.4 (S.D. 11.7 years). NPY levels in GCF were measured in periodontal health and disease by radioimmunoassay. NPY Y1 receptor expression in gingival tissue was determined by Western blotting of membrane protein extracts from healthy and inflamed gum.


RESULTS
Healthy sites from control subjects had significantly higher levels of NPY than diseased sites from periodontitis subjects. NPY Y1 receptor protein was detected in both healthy and inflamed gingival tissue by Western blotting.


CONCLUSIONS
The significantly elevated levels of NPY in GCF from healthy compared with periodontitis sites suggests a tonic role for NPY, the functionality of which is indicated by the presence of NPY Y1 receptors in local gingival tissue.
Lundy
Fionnuala T
FT
Oral Science Research Centre, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen's University, Grosvenor Road, Belfast BT126BP, Northern Ireland, UK. f.lundy@qub.ac.uk
El Karim
Ikhlas A
IA
Linden
Gerard J
GJ
D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000378:metabolism; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D017476:Receptors, Neuropeptide Y / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D017476:Receptors, Neuropeptide Y; C097212:neuropeptide Y-Y1 receptor