title: The expression of NLRP3, NLRP1 and AIM2 in the gingival tissue of periodontitis patients: RT-PCR study and immunohistochemistry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Detecting the distribution and intensity of NLRP3, NLRP1 and AIM2 expression in different types of periodontitis gingival tissues.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 65 gingival tissues were collected from clinic and been divided into three groups: patients with chronic periodontitis (CP), patients with generalized aggressive periodontitis (G-AgP) and healthy control subjects. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to detect mRNA expression of NLRP3, NLRP1 and AIM2 in full-thickness tissue. In the meanwhile, immunohistochemistry was used to detect distribution of NLRP3, NLRP1 and AIM2 in the periodontal epithelium and in the connective tissue cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall intensity of NLRP3 expression was significantly higher in CP or G-AgP than healthy tissue. A more significant difference was observed in the periodontal epithelium layer. NLRP1 was barely expressed in the healthy and periodontitis gingival tissues, whereas AIM2 was expressed at a higher level in the chronic periodontitis group than others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NLRP3, NLRP1 and AIM2 proteins were differentially expressed in gingival tissues from patients with CP and G-AgP and may play vital roles in the progression of periodontal inflammation to different degrees. Our studies may provide a new direction for personalized periodontal treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Institute of Shanghai Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology and Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Institute of Shanghai Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology and Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Institute of Shanghai Stomatology, Shanghai 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology and Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: yufengxie@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yufeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; D000070576:NLR Proteins; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: C410167:AIM2 protein, human; D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D000071199:NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; D000070576:NLR Proteins; C427903:NLRP1 protein, human; C453881:NLRP3 protein, human
keywords: AIM2; Immunohistochemistry; Inflammasome; NLRP1; NLRP3; RT-PCR