title: Antimicrobial peptides and periodontal disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of this review is to identify the antimicrobial proteins in the oral fluids, saliva and gingival crevicular fluid and identify functional families and candidates for antibacterial treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Periodontal biofilms initiate a cascade of inflammatory and immune processes that lead to the destruction of gingival tissues and ultimately alveolar bone loss and tooth loss. Treatment of periodontal disease with conventional antibiotics does not appear to be effective in the absence of mechanical debridement. An alternative treatment may be found in antimicrobial peptides and proteins, which can be bactericidal and anti-inflammatory and block the inflammatory effects of bacterial toxins. The peptides have co-evolved with oral bacteria, which have not developed significant peptide resistance. Over 45 antibacterial proteins are found in human saliva and gingival crevicular fluid. The proteins and peptides belong to several different functional families and offer broad protection from invading microbes. Several antimicrobial peptides and proteins (AMPs) serve as templates for the development of therapeutic peptides and peptide mimetics, although to date none have demonstrated efficacy in human trials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Existing and newly identified AMPs may be developed for therapeutic use in periodontal disease or can serve as templates for peptide and peptide mimetics with improved therapeutic indices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. sugorr@umn.edu
authors.forename: Sven-Ulrik
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Gorr
authors.forename: Mahsa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdolhosseini
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018441:Biofilms; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides