title: The influence of sex hormones on proinflammatory cytokines in gingiva of periodontally healthy premenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this work was to investigate any correlation between the fluctuation of levels of specific proinflammatory cytokines in gingival crevicular fluid and the fluctuation of sex hormones in peripheral blood at ovulation and progesterone peak.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen premenopausal women with normal and consistent menstrual cycles and healthy periodontium were included in this study. The exclusion criteria were as follows: (i) pregnancy; (ii) use of oral contraceptives; (iii) metabolic or systemic disease that might affect the periodontium; (iv) use of antimicrobial or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during the past 6 mo; and (v) smoking. The measurements were performed at two specific time points for each participant [(i) on the day of ovulation; and (ii) on the day of the progesterone peak) and included the following: (i) plaque index; (ii) bleeding on probing; and (iii) the gingival crevicular fluid levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the menstrual cycle, plaque index values remained unchanged (0.71 ± 0.07 at ovulation; 0.73 ± 0.08 at progesterone peak; p > 0.05), as did bleeding on probing (0.35 ± 0.07 at ovulation; 0.41 ± 0.07 at progesterone peak; p > 0.05). At ovulation, mean gingival crevicular fluid levels were as follows: IL-1β, 13.3 pg/sample; IL-6, 5.9 pg/sample; IL-8, 18.7 pg/sample; and TNF-α, 25.9 pg/sample. The corresponding values at progesterone peak were as follows: 14.1, 10.1, 19.5 and 26.3 pg/sample. Only IL-6 gingival crevicular fluid levels were significantly different between ovulation and progesterone peak (p < 0.05). This could reflect sensitivity to subclinical amounts of plaque and biofilm constituents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The subclinical increase of IL-6 at progesterone peak is not accompanied by clinical changes in the periodontium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Markou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boura
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tsalikis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deligianidis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Konstantinidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology*; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000737:chemistry; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000502:physiology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000502:physiology*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000502:physiology; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology*; D010512:Periodontal Index; D011374:Progesterone / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D011374:Progesterone