Objective A study was conducted to investigate the possible influence of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) IL-10-592 C/A on the occurrence and load of the periodontal pathogens: P. gingivalis, T. forsythia, T. denticolaand A. Actinomycetemcomitans; as well to investigate the influence of microbial and genetic factors on the modulation of local IL-10 mRNA levels. Methodology The study included 117 cases and 58 controls. After clinical examination microbiological samples were obtained and the detection/quantification of the target bacterial species was performed by RT-PCR. SNP rs1800872 was assayed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Results Allele distribution of rs1800872 was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (P = 64). As previously reported, polymorphic subjects demonstrated decreased IL-10 expression and increased risk of suffering chronic periodontitis. IL-10-592C/A rs1800872 SNP was not associated with the detection or the bacterial load of the investigated pathogens. Moreover, the presence/load of bacteria at periodontal sites did not influence IL-10 expression, which was determined by the genetic background of the study subjects. IL-10-592C/A SNP was not associated with detection/bacterial load of pathogenic bacteria. IL-10 expression levels were determined by the genetic background and were independent of the bacterial microenvironment.

Objetivo Reportamos la asociación entre el polimorfismo de nucleótido simple de IL-10-592C/A (rs1800872) y la detección/abundancia relativa de los periodontopatógenos Porfiromonas gingivalis, Tenerella forsythia, Treponema denticola y Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Además investigamos la influencia de los determinantes genéticos y microbiológicos en los niveles de expresión de IL-10 en lesiones periodontales. Metodología Fueron reclutados 117 pacientes con periodontitis crónica y 58 controles. Luego del examen clínico fueron obtenidas muestras microbiológicas y la presencia/carga bacteriana de especies de periodontopatógenos fue cuantificada por RT-PCR. El genotipo para IL-10-592C/A fue determinado mediante restriction fragment length polymorphism. Resultados La distribución alélica del SNP rs1800872 en la población investigada cumplió con el equilibrio de Hardy-Weinberg (p = 0,64). Como ya ha sido reportado, los sujetos polimórficos demostraron menor expresión de IL-10 y riesgo aumentado de sufrir periodontitis crónica. El polimorfismo IL-10-592C/A no demostró relación con la detección o carga bacteriana de ninguna de las bacterias investigadas, además los niveles de expresión de IL-10 no fueron influenciados por el perfil microbiológico, sino que se correlacionaron directamente con el genotipo para el polimorfismo IL-10-592C/A.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the role of periodontal disease in the development of stroke or cerebral infarction in patients by evaluating the clinical periodontal conditions and the subgingival levels of periodontopathogens. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty patients with ischemic (I-CVA) or hemorrhagic (H-CVA) cerebrovascular episodes (test group) and 60 systemically healthy patients (control group) were evaluated for: probing depth, clinical attachment level, bleeding on probing and plaque index. Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans were both identified and quantified in subgingival plaque samples by conventional and real-time PCR, respectively. RESULTS: The test group showed a significant increase in each of the following parameters: pocket depth, clinical attachment loss, bleeding on probing, plaque index and number of missing teeth when compared to control values (p<0.05, unpaired t-test). Likewise, the test group had increased numbers of sites that were contaminated with P. gingivalis (60%x10%; p<0.001; chi-squared test) and displayed greater prevalence of periodontal disease, with an odds ratio of 48.06 (95% CI: 5.96-387.72; p<0.001). Notably, a positive correlation between probing depth and the levels of P. gingivalis in ischemic stroke was found (r=0.60; p=0.03; Spearman's rank correlation coefficient test). A. actinomycetemcomitans DNA was not detected in any of the groups by conventional or real-time PCR. CONCLUSIONS: Stroke patients had deeper pockets, more severe attachment loss, increased bleeding on probing, increased plaque indexes, and in their pockets harbored increased levels of P. gingivalis. These findings suggest that periodontal disease is a risk factor for the development of cerebral hemorrhage or infarction. Early treatment of periodontitis may counteract the development of cerebrovascular episodes.

Periodontitis comprises a group of multifactorial diseases in which periodontopathogens accumulate in dental plaque and trigger host chronic inflammatory and immune responses against periodontal structures, which are determinant to the disease outcome. Although unusual cases of non-inflammatory destructive periodontal disease (NIDPD) are described, their pathogenesis remains unknown. A unique NIDPD case was investigated by clinical, microbiological, immunological and genetic tools. The patient, a non-smoking dental surgeon with excessive oral hygiene practice, presented a generalized bone resorption and tooth mobility, but not gingival inflammation or occlusion problems. No hematological, immunological or endocrine alterations were found. No periodontopathogens (A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis, F. nucleatum and T. denticola) or viruses (HCMV, EBV-1 and HSV-1) were detected, along with levels of IL-1β and TNF-a in GCF compatible with healthy tissues. Conversely ALP, ACP and RANKL GCF levels were similar to diseased periodontal sites. Genetic investigation demonstrated that the patient carried some SNPs, as well HLA-DR4 (*0404) and HLA-B27 alleles, considered risk factors for bone loss. Then, a less vigorous and diminished frequency of toothbrushing was recommended to the patient, resulting in the arrest of alveolar bone loss, associated with the return of ALP, ACP and RANKL in GCF to normality levels. In conclusion, the unusual case presented here is compatible with the previous description of NIDPD, and the results that a possible combination of excessive force and frequency of mechanical stimulation with a potentially bone loss prone genotype could result in the alveolar bone loss seen in NIDPD.