Involvement of the Wnt‐ β ‐catenin signalling antagonists, sclerostin and dickkopf‐related protein 1, in chronic periodontitis

Aim The regulation of Wnt‐ β ‐catenin signalling, which is crucial for osteoblast differentiation and for bone resorption, is driven by critical inhibitors such as sclerostin ( SOST ) and dickkopf‐related protein 1 ( DKK 1). As such, the aim of this study was to evaluate the involvement of SOST and DKK 1 in human chronic periodontitis. Material and Methods Gingival biopsies and serum were sampled from systemically healthy non‐periodontitis ( n  = 15) and chronic periodontitis subjects ( n  = 15). The mRNA and protein levels of SOST, DKK1 and TNF‐ α in periodontal tissues were measured by qPCR and by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively. Serum levels of SOST, DKK1 and TNF‐ α were assessed by ELISA. Results The mRNA and protein levels of SOST, DKK1 and TNF‐ α were significantly increased in the gingival tissues of the chronic periodontitis when compared to the non‐periodontitis group ( p  < 0.05). In addition, circulating levels of SOST and TNF‐ α , but not DKK1, were higher in the periodontitis group than in the non‐periodontitis group ( p  < 0.05). Conclusion SOST and DKK 1 were upregulated in the periodontal tissues of chronic periodontitis subjects, suggesting a possible role of these molecules on periodontal tissues.