Osmotic pressure of gingiva in periodontitis: Correlation with gingival proinflammatory cytokine production and alveolar bone destruction

Abstract

Background/purpose: This study investigated the relationship between gingival osmotic pressure (GOP) and periodontal disease by correlating GOP with alveolar bone loss (ABL) and gingival proinflammatory cytokine production during periodontitis. Materials and Methods: Experimental periodontitis was induced on the right maxillary molar region of 12 rats by injecting an endotoxin + saline solution (test group), and the opposite region of the same jaw received a single saline injection in each animal (control group). The linear alveolar bone level was measured to verify periodontitis creation and to quantify ABL. Interleukin (IL)-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha levels were determined to assess the gingival proinflammatory cytokine production. The cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in gingival supernatants obtained from the groups. GOP was measured in the same supernatants with a digital osmometer. Results: Increased ABL, cytokine, and GOP levels were evident in the test group compared with the control group (P <0.01). Positive correlations were found between the increase in GOP and ABL, and between the increases in GOP and cytokines in the test group (P < 0.01) (r = 0.88 for ABL; r = 0.76 for IL-1 beta; r = 0.81 for TNF-alpha). Conclusions: The results reveal that an increase in the GOP may be correlated with ABL and proinflammatory cytokine production in periodontitis, and it can be possibly used as a marker of the diseased nature of the periodontium. Copyright (C) 2011, Association for Dental Sciences of the Republic of China. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved.