Signaling by toll-like receptor 2 and 4 agonists results in differential gene expression in murine macrophages.
(33/894)
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis has been reported to differ structurally and functionally from enterobacterial LPS. These studies demonstrate that in contrast to protein-free enterobacterial LPS, a similarly purified preparation of P. gingivalis LPS exhibited potent Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), rather than TLR4, agonist activity to elicit gene expression and cytokine secretion in murine macrophages and transfectants. More importantly, TLR2 stimulation by this P. gingivalis LPS preparation resulted in differential expression of a panel of genes that are normally induced in murine macrophages by Escherichia coli LPS. These data suggest that (i) P. gingivalis LPS does not signal through TLR4 and (ii) signaling through TLR2 and through TLR4 differs quantitatively and qualitatively. Our data support the hypothesis that the shared signaling pathways elicited by TLR2 and by TLR4 agonists must diverge in order to account for the distinct patterns of inflammatory gene expression. (+info)
Dinucleotide repeat polymorphism in the interleukin-10 gene promoter (IL-10.G) and genetic susceptibility to early-onset periodontal disease.
(34/894)
Emerging evidence suggests that certain genetic polymorphisms are associated with various sub-groups of early-onset periodontal diseases (EOP). We determined the genotype with respect to a (CA)n dinucleotide repeat polymorphism in the promoter region of the interleukin-10 gene (IL-10.G) in 72 patients with EOP and in 73 healthy individuals in order to test for possible disease associations. Some differences between the frequency of individual IL.10.G alleles in the patients groups as compared to the healthy controls were detected. For example the frequency of the IL-10.G9 allele in a clinical sub-group of the EOP patients with localised disease (L-EOP, n = 21) was 64.3% as compared to 41.8% in the controls. However, statistical analysis (Monte Carlo simulation) revealed that the differences in IL-10.G allele distribution between the healthy controls and both the EOP group and the L-EOP group were not statistically significant. We conclude that this study provides no evidence for a role of IL-10.G alleles in genetic susceptibility to EOP. (+info)
Environmental tobacco smoke and periodontal disease in the United States.
(35/894)
OBJECTIVES: Cigarette smoking is a leading risk factor for periodontal disease. This cross-sectional study investigated the relation between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and periodontal disease in the United States. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994). The outcome was periodontal disease, defined as 1 or more periodontal sites with attachment loss of 3 mm or greater and a pocket depth of 4 mm or greater at the same site. Exposure to ETS at home and work was self-reported. The study analyzed 6611 persons 18 years and older who had never smoked cigarettes or used other forms of tobacco. RESULTS: Exposure to ETS at home only, work only, and both was reported by 18.0%, 10.7%, and 3.8% of the study population, respectively. The adjusted odds of having periodontal disease were 1.6 (95% confidence interval = 1.1, 2.2) times greater for persons exposed to ETS than for persons not exposed. CONCLUSIONS: Among persons in the United States who had never used tobacco, those exposed to ETS were more likely to have periodontal disease than were those not exposed to ETS. (+info)
Adsorption of oral bacteria to porous type calcium carbonate.
(36/894)
The purpose of this study was to investigate the adsorption of [3H]-thymidine labeled oral microorganisms to porous type calcium carbonate (PCC) beads in a buffer containing human parotid saliva and to PCC combined chewing gum sheets. Adsorption rates of Streptococcus sobrinus B13 and 6715, Streptococcus mutans MT8148R and Actinomyces naeslundii T14V with PCC were significantly higher than those with calcium carbonate (CC) beads (p < 0.01). Adsorption rates of S. sobrinus, S. mutans and A. naeslundii with PCC combined chewing gum were significantly higher than those with CC combined chewing gum (p < 0.01). The present results suggested that the chewing gum containing PCC may be able to exclude oral bacteria, including cariogenic and periodontopathic bacteria, for prevention of dental caries and periodontal disease. (+info)
The congenitally missing upper lateral incisor. A retrospective study of orthodontic space closure versus restorative treatment.
(37/894)
Orthodontic treatment for patients with uni- or bilateral congenitally missing lateral incisors is a challenge to effective treatment planning. The two major alternatives, orthodontic space closure or space opening for prosthetic replacements, can both compromise aesthetics, periodontal health, and function. The aim of this retrospective study was to examine treated patients who had congenitally missing lateral incisors and to compare their opinion of the aesthetic result with the dentists' opinions of occlusal function and periodontal health. In this sample, 50 patients were identified. Thirty had been treated with orthodontic space closure, and 20 by space opening and a prosthesis (porcelain bonded to gold and resin bonded bridges). The patient's opinion of the aesthetic result was evaluated using the Eastman Esthetic Index questionnaire and during a structured interview. The functional status, dental contact patterns, periodontal condition, and quality of the prosthetic replacement was evaluated. In general, subjects treated with orthodontic space closure were more satisfied with the appearance of their teeth than those who had a prosthesis. No significant differences in the prevalence of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) were found. However, patients with prosthetic replacements had impaired periodontal health with accumulation of plaque and gingivitis. The conclusion of this study is that orthodontic space closure produces results that are well accepted by patients, does not impair temporomandibular joint (TMJ) function, and encourages periodontal health in comparison with prosthetic replacements. (+info)
The impact of oral health on people in the UK in 1998.
(38/894)
Knowledge of the extent of dental disease gives a clinical indication of the experience of dental problems but it does not necessarily reflect the problems that people experience as a result of their dentition. It is becoming increasingly appreciated that the way a disease affects people's lives is just as important as epidemiological measures of its prevalence or incidence. The 1998 Adult Dental Health survey is the first of the decennial series of UK adult dental health surveys to use and report a measure of the self-perceived impact on people of the dental and periodontal diseases and other oral conditions. Over half (51%) of dentate adults said they had been affected in some way by their oral health, and in 8% of cases the impact was sufficient to have reduced their quality of life. (+info)
The periodontal disease classification system of the American Academy of Periodontology--an update.
(39/894)
Until recently, the accepted standard for the classification of periodontal diseases was the one agreed upon at the 1989 World Workshop in Clinical Periodontics. This classification system, however, had its weaknesses. In particular, some criteria for diagnosis were unclear, disease categories overlapped, and patients did not always fit into any one category. Also, too much emphasis was placed on the age of disease onset and rate of progression, which are often difficult to determine. Finally, no classification for diseases limited to the gingiva existed. In 1999, an International Workshop for a Classification of Periodontal Diseases and Conditions was organized by the American Academy of Periodontology to address these concerns and to revise the classification system. The workshop proceedings have been published in the Annals of Periodontology. The major changes to the 1989 proceedings and the rationale for these changes are summarized here. In addition, the potential impact of these changes is discussed. (+info)
Construction of a chimeric shuttle plasmid via a heterodimer system: secretion of an scFv protein from Bacillus brevis cells capable of inhibiting hemagglutination.
(40/894)
Passive immunization is an attractive therapy for preventing oral diseases including dental caries and periodontal disease. For this purpose, we attempted to produce a single chain variable fragment, scFv, which inhibited hemagglutination using the Bacillus brevis protein-producing system. To accomplish this, a novel strategy, a heterodimer system, was used for the construction of a chimeric shuttle plasmid. Initially, a set of new plasmids, kanamycin-resistant donor and erythromycin-resistant general cloning plasmids, were constructed. p15A ori was a common replication origin in these plasmids, while the pUB110 rep and minus origin (MO) were cloned into the donor plasmid. Next, the secretion domain of the B. subtilis alpha-amylase gene and the G2-4 gene, coding for the scFv protein, were cloned into the general cloning plasmid and fused by PCR. Both the donor plasmid and the general cloning plasmid containing the fused gene were digested with NotI and them ligated, a dimeric plasmid being constructed. The key restriction sites, AscI, are arranged such that the pUB110 rep-MO moiety was switched from the donor to the general cloning plasmid following AscI digestion. The chimeric shuttle plasmid was readily constructed by simple re-circularization and a B. brevis transformant producing the scFv protein in the culture fluid was isolated. (+info)