Syndecan-1 immunohistochemical expression in gingival tissues of chronic periodontitis patients correlated with various putative factors.
OBJECTIVE
Limited information is available on the expression and distribution of syndecan-1 within human gingival tissues/cells and on putative factors that might affect its expression. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine immunohistochemically the expression and distribution of syndecan-1 in the gingival tissues of patients with chronic periodontitis and to examine the correlation of syndecan-1 expression with various putative factors (environmental, patient/systemic and local factors).


METHODS
Gingival specimens were surgically excised from the area of the junctional/pocket epithelium (study group 1, including 30 chronic periodontitis patients) or the gingival oral epithelium (study group 2, comprising another 30 chronic periodontitis patients), adjacent to teeth with poor prognosis. Standard two-step immunohistochemistry and semi-quantitative evaluation of immunohistochemical staining were used to determine syndecan-1 expression. Statistical analyses on the impact of various putative factors were performed.


RESULTS
In the junctional/pocket epithelium or the oral epithelium, syndecan-1 expression was weak to moderate in the suprabasal and basal epithelial cells and absent to weak in the internal basal lamina, external basal lamina and gingival connective tissue matrix. Syndecan-1 expression in the junctional/pocket epithelium was statistically significantly stronger than in the oral epithelium in inflammatory cells within the underlying gingival connective tissue (primarily plasma cells and lymphocytes) and in scattered fibroblast-like cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Syndecan-1 expression in the junctional/pocket epithelium or the oral epithelium can exhibit a significant positive correlation with the severity/degree of histologically evaluated local gingival inflammation, but in general is not significantly correlated with age, smoking, full-mouth and local clinical (probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level) and radiographical parameters (radiographical bone loss) of periodontal status.
Kotsovilis
S
S
Department of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Hellas. sot.kotsovilis@yahoo.gr
Tseleni-Balafouta
S
S
Charonis
A
A
Fourmousis
I
I
Nikolidakis
D
D
Vrotsos
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000473:pathology*; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D004846:Epithelial Attachment / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000473:pathology; D005881:Gingiva / Q000473:pathology*; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000473:pathology; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000473:pathology; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D012907:Smoking; D053668:Syndecan-1 / Q000032:analysis*
C508241:SDC1 protein, human; D053668:Syndecan-1