Do arginine metabolites have a role in periodontitis due to smoking? A new perspective

Objectives: Cigarette consumption is common around the world and besides its negative effects on health, and its effects on periodontitis draw attention. Arginine metabolites are involved in the pathogenesis of several systemic inflammatory diseases' including cardiovascular diseases. Our aim was to determine periodontitis and healthy individuals' arginine metabolites and IL-6 levels in saliva and serum and to evaluate those according to smoking status. Materials and Methods: The study consisted of four groups: healthy individuals (control [C]; n = 20), smokers with healthy periodontium (S-C; n = 20), nonsmokers with Stage-III Grade-B generalized periodontitis (P; n = 20) and smokers with Stage-III Grade-C generalized periodontitis (S-P; n = 18). Periodontal parameters were measured. Analysis of methylated arginine metabolites was performed by LC-MS/MS, and IL-6 levels were determined by ELISA kits. Results: In nonsmokers, salivary concentrations of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and symmetrical dimethylarginine (SDMA) were higher in the periodontitis than control (p < 0.001, p = 0.010). Smokers with periodontitis exhibited higher ADMA (p = 0.033, p < 0.001) and arginine (p = 0.030, p = 0.001) saliva concentrations than smoking and nonsmoking controls. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that salivary concentrations of ADMA and SDMA were associated with periodontitis. Smoking increased ADMA, SDMA and N-G-monomethyl L-arginine (L-NMMA) levels in serum only in periodontitis patients.

Automated summary

This study aimed to determine the levels of arginine metabolites and IL-6 in saliva and serum of individuals with periodontitis and healthy individuals, and to evaluate their association with smoking status. The results showed that salivary concentrations of ADMA and SDMA were associated with periodontitis, and smoking increased the levels of arginine metabolites in the serum of periodontitis patients.