title: Comparison of neutrophil apoptosis, α-defensins and calprotectin in children with and without severe early childhood caries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The infectious nature of severe early-childhood caries (S-ECC) points to the possible participation of immunologic host responses including neutrophils and their antimicrobial products.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the neutrophil apoptosis, α-defensins (HNP1-3) and calprotectin levels in the saliva of preschool children and the association with S-ECC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Oral examinations were performed on 87 children aged 3-5 years and non stimulated whole saliva samples were collected. Thirty of these subjects were considered S-ECC children, 30 with moderate caries (MC) and 27 were caries free (CF). To detect apoptosis, cell staining was done with Annexin-V-Fluos and propidium iodide, and they were analyzed by fluorescent microscopy. The concentration of α-defensins and calprotectin were assessed using ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no statistical differences between groups considering the HNP1-3 or calprotectin salivary levels (p=0.06 and p=0.23, respectively). The HNP1-3 and calprotectin levels were negatively correlated and the correlation was significant in MC group (p=0.03). Lower levels of apoptotic neutrophils were obtained from CF subjects as compared with S-ECC children (p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings establish that apoptotic mechanisms could be implicated in the immunity responses associated with S-ECC. We cannot yet determine if the level of salivary α-defensins or calprotectin is predictive of S-ECC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Dental School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ltoomarian@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Lida
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toomarian
authors.forename: Mandana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sattari
authors.forename: Nazanin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hashemi
authors.forename: Nikoo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tadayon
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akbarzadeh Baghban
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D023084:alpha-Defensins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex; D023084:alpha-Defensins