Correlations between pentraxin 3 or cytokine levels in gingival crevicular fluid and clinical parameters of chronic periodontitis

The gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) contains various biomarkers, such as interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and IL-10, among others. These cytokines have been reported to correlate with gingival inflammation and periodontal status. Therefore, the analysis of GCF may be useful for the diagnosis of periodontal status. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is the first identified long pentraxin, and is released by several cell types in response to proinflammatory signals. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, IL-10 and PTX3 in GCF from diseased and healthy sites in patients with chronic periodontitis. Cross-sectional clinical data were obtained from 50 patients with chronic periodontitis. GCF samples were collected with paper strips from one periodontal diseased site and one periodontally healthy site per subject. The levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-alpha were determined using a multiplexed bead immunoassay, and the PTX3 level was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Mean clinical parameters were significantly higher at diseased sites (P < 0.01) as compared to healthy sites, and the mean levels of PTX3, IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-alpha were higher in diseased sites (P < 0.01) than in healthy sites. There were strong correlations between PTX3 or IL-1 beta and periodontal status. These results suggest that GCF PTX3 levels might be useful as a diagnostic marker for periodontal disease.