Proteomics for the periodontium: current strategies and future promise

Periodontal tissues comprise multicompartmental groups of interacting cells and matrices that provide continuous support, attachment, proprioception and physical protection for the teeth. The periodontium is also specialized to minimize tissue damage arising from trauma and infection. The high level of tissue complexity generated by the multiple types of interacting cells and extracellular matrices, many of which are embedded in very small and difficultto-study compartments, has slowed research in periodontal physiology and pathology. At present there is no catalog of the total expression complement of matrix and cellular proteins in any of alveolar bone, cementum, gingiva and periodontal ligament. Further advances in our understanding of mechanisms of homeostasis and responses to trauma and infection of periodontal tissues will likely require a more complete catalog of the repertoire of expressed proteins. Currently used proteomics methods can provide global analyses of expressed proteins in specific mammalian cells and tissues. Recent progress in tissue isolation, protein separation, quantification, sequence analysis, and structural and interaction proteomics offers great promise for bringing periodontal physiology and pathology into the modern era. Yet remarkably few applications of proteomics to the analysis of periodontal tissues have been reported. This chapter reviews the potential proteomic approaches that may be applied to periodontal tissues and consider the opportunities that may arise in defining the expressed set of proteins in the periodontium.