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Elastase in gingival crevicular fluid from smokers and non‐smokers with chronic inflammatory periodontal disease
Author(s) -
Alavi AL,
Palmer RM,
Odell EW,
Coward PY,
Wilson RF
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
oral diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.953
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1601-0825
pISSN - 1354-523X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1601-0825.1995.tb00173.x
Subject(s) - medicine , periodontal disease , elastase , dentistry , gingival and periodontal pocket , chemistry , enzyme , biochemistry
OBJECTIVE: To compare elastase concentrations in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) from individual sites of smokers and non‐smokers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve pairs of smokers and non‐smokers with untreated, moderate to advanced chronic inflammatory periodontal disease were matched for gender, age, ethnicity and the clinical and radio‐graphic extent of disease. Durapore filter strip samples were collected over 30 s from two mesiopalatal sites on upper left posterior teeth. Samples were analysed for: I) polymorphonuclear neutrophil leucocyte (PMNL) cell counts; 2) PMNL elastase‐αI‐antitrypsin complex in the GCF supernatant by ELISA; and 3) functional elastase, free or bound to α2‐macroglobulin, estimated from activity against N‐tert‐butoxycarbonyI‐alanyl‐prolyl‐nor‐valylg‐chlorothiobenzyl ester in supernatant and lysates of GCF PMNLs. RESULTS: There were no differences in disease parameters between groups except that bleeding on probing was less extensive in smokers (P< 0.001). Cell counts and elastase content of crevicular PMNLs showed no differences between groups. Lower concentrations of elastase were found in GCF supernatants from smokers than non‐smokers. This difference was observed for functional elastase (mean [s.d.] = 30.21 [17.60] against 73.77 [75.26] ng μI ‐1 , P <0.05) and elastase complexed with αl‐antitrypsin (8.97 [6.54] ng μl ‐1 against 25.71 [22.07] ng μI ‐1 , P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Smokers have lower elastase concentrations in GCF than non‐smokers. Further investigation is required to elucidate the underlying cause and its relationship with periodontal disease.