title: Gene expression of transcription factor NFATc1 in periodontal diseases.
abstract: Periodontitis is a disease of infectious aetiology that causes inflammatory destruction of the tooth-supporting tissues. Activated T cells are central to the pathogenesis of the disease, by producing receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) ligand (RANKL) that stimulates bone resorption. Antigenic activation of T cells is regulated by the induction of transcription factor nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1). There is as yet no information on the potential involvement of NFATc1 in periodontal diseases. This study aimed to investigate NFATc1 gene expression levels in periodontal diseases, and analyse the potential correlation with RANKL expression and clinical periodontal parameters. In this cross-sectional study, gingival tissue biopsies were obtained from healthy (n = 10) and periodontally diseased (n = 58) sites. NFATc1 and RANKL gene expression levels in these samples were analysed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Compared with healthy subjects, patients with gingivitis, chronic and aggressive periodontitis, exhibited higher NFATc1 expression, which proved to be statistically significant in the periodontitis groups. NFATc1 and RANKL expression levels strongly correlated with each other, and with clinical periodontal parameters. The increased expression of NFATc1 in periodontitis denotes a role for this transcription factor in the pathogenesis of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oral Biology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zürich, Switzerland. george.belibasakis@zzm.uzh.ch
authors.forename: Georgios N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Belibasakis
authors.forename: Gulnur
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Emingil
authors.forename: Buket
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saygan
authors.forename: Oya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Turkoglu
authors.forename: Gul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Atilla
authors.forename: Nagihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bostanci
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000328:Adult; D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000235:genetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C501589:DCSTAMP protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; C494003:NFATC1 protein, human; D053245:RANK Ligand; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human