title: Clinical implications of the growth-suppressive effects of chlorhexidine at low and high concentrations on human gingival fibroblasts and changes in morphology.
abstract: Chlorhexidine (CHX) is considered the gold standard in the antiseptic treatment of the oral cavity, due to its high antibactericidal capability. With the use of CHX mouth-rinse formulations, the bacteriostatic effects are maintained by the adsorption and prolonged release of CHX from oral surfaces. It was believed that antiplaque formation ability and the lack of systemic toxicity of CHX render it an excellent antiseptic in post-surgical dental treatment. However, recent studies have demonstrated that CHX exerts cytotoxic effects on human periodontal tissues, such as gingival fibroblasts and other cells. It also reduces gingival fibroblast adhesion to fibronectin and prevents fibroblast attachment to root surfaces, thus interfering with periodontal regeneration. In this study, using human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs), we investigated effects of CHX on the growth, morphology and proliferation of HGFs. We found that a low concentration (0.002%) of CHX does not interfere with the proliferation and morphology of HGFs. However, a higher concentration (≥0.04%) of CHX inhibits cell proliferation and to a certain extent, affects cell morphology in a time-dependent manner. A decrease in the percentage of cells in the G0/G1 phase and the accumulation of cells in the S phase following treatment with CHX also occurred in a dose-dependent manner. We thus concluded that CHX only at the concentration of 0.002% does not interfere with HGF growth, that is so critical to wound healing. Thus, the application of CHX in the post-surgical antiseptic treatment of the oral cavity should be limited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60‑812 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wyganowska-Swiatkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotwicka
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-806 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Urbaniak
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-632 Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.affiliation: Urology Research Center, Department of Urology, College of Medicine, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Skrzypczak-Jankun
authors.affiliation: Urology Research Center, Department of Urology, College of Medicine, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jankun
mesh_terms: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D048430:Cell Shape / Q000187:drug effects; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D059585:G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005881:Gingiva / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D002710:Chlorhexidine