A. Lucchi

Non-bacterial protein expression in periodontal pockets by proteome analysis.

OBJECTIVES To compare the proteomic profile of inter-proximal pocket tissues with inter-proximal healthy tissues in the same subject to reveal proteins associated with periodontal disease in sites where periodontopathogenic bacteria were not detectable. METHODS Twenty-five healthy patients, with moderate-to-advanced chronic periodontitis and presenting with at least one intra-bony defect next to a healthy inter-proximal site were enrolled. The periodontal defects were treated with osseous resective surgery, and the flap design included both the periodontal pockets and the neighbouring inter-proximal healthy sites. Pocket-associated and healthy tissues were harvested for proteomic analyses. RESULTS Fifteen proteins were differently expressed between pathological and healthy tissues. In particular, annexin A2, actin cytoplasmic 1, carbonic anhydrase 1 & 2; Ig kappa chain C region (two spots) and flavinreductase were overexpressed, whereas 14-3-3 protein sigma and zeta/delta, heat-shock protein beta -1 (two spots), triosephosphateisomerase, peroxiredoxin-1, fatty acid-binding protein-epidermal, and galectin-7 were underexpressed in pathological tissue. CONCLUSIONS The unbalanced functional network of proteins involved could hinder adequate tissue response to pathogenic noxa. The study of periodontal pocket tissue proteomic profile would be crucial to better understand the pathogenesis of and the therapeutic strategies for periodontitis.

Risk factors and socioeconomic condition effects on periodontal and dental health: A pilot study among adults over fifty years of age

Objective: Observational studies on the association among systemic/general and oral cavity indices, tooth loss, periodontal conditions, and socioeconomic inequalities are to be still performed in the population of Southern Europe. This study aims to determine the extent of this relationship among Italian healthy adults 50 years of age and above. Materials and Methods: Socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics, cardiovascular indicators, and systemic indices were examined by contrasting the dental indices among adult people of Northern Italy. Data were processed through correlation analysis, and multivariate analysis was carried out using seemingly unrelated regressions. Results: A total of 118 adults 50 years of age and above, after anamnesis, underwent systemic and dental examination. Their socioeconomic status was found to be inversely associated only with smoking and dental parameters. Unexpected outcomes between lifestyle and risk factors were detected. The statistical analysis showed an uneven correlation among dental indices and between those indices and the socioeconomic status, such as, a periodontal condition, apparently free from influences, unusually became worse as the socioeconomic status enhanced. Conclusions: The study outcomes indicate a relationship between tooth loss and conservative endodontic therapy, but they result in alternative choices. Nevertheless, the socioeconomic status has an inverse relationship with tooth loss and conservative endodontic therapy, but a direct relation with worsening of the periodontal condition. This pilot study highlights a need for the public health administration to adopt a socioeconomic assessment not only based on the household income, but also to accordingly improve its therapeutic course.

Analysis of protein expression in periodontal pocket tissue: a preliminary study

BackgroundThe periodontal disease is caused by a set of inflammatory disorders characterized by periodontal pocket formation that lead to tooth loss if untreated. The proteomic profile and related molecular conditions of pocket tissue in periodontally-affected patients are not reported in literature. To characterize the proteomic profile of periodontally-affected patients, their interproximal periodontal pocket tissue was compared with that of periodontally-healthy patients. Pocket-associated and healthy tissue samples, harvested during surgical therapy, were treated to extract the protein content. Tissues were always collected at sites where no periodontal-pathogenic bacteria were detectable. Proteins were separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and identified by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. After identification, four proteins were selected for subsequent Western Blot quantitation both in pathological and healty tissues.ResultsA significant unbalance in protein expression between healthy and pathological sites was recorded. Thirty-two protein spots were overall identified, and four proteins (S100A9, HSPB1, LEG7 and 14-3-3) were selected for Western blot analysis of both periodontally-affected and healthy patients. The four selected proteins resulted over-expressed in periodontal pocket tissue when compared with the corresponding tissue of periodontally-healthy patients. The results of Western blot analysis are congruent with the defensive and the regenerative reaction of injured periodontal tissues.ConclusionsThe proteomic analysis was performed for the first time directly on periodontal pocket tissue. The proteomic network highlighted in this study enhances the understanding of periodontal disease pathogenesis necessary for specific therapeutic strategies setting.

Analisi tissutale proteomica della tasca parodontale. Uno studio pilota

Riassunto Obiettivi Scopo dello studio e stato analizzare nello stesso soggetto, in siti in cui non erano rilevabili batteri parodontopatogeni, il tessuto interprossimale, sia connesso alla tasca parodontale sia sano, al fine di determinare un quadro proteico associabile al danno parodontale. Materiali e metodi Nello studio sono stati inclusi 15 soggetti sistemicamente sani, affetti da moderata-avanzata parodontite cronica, che presentavano almeno un difetto intraosseo prossimo a un analogo sito senza danno parodontale clinicamente evidente. I pazienti sono stati trattati mediante terapia resettiva. Durante la fase chirurgica i tessuti associati alla lesione parodontale e quelli clinicamente sani sono stati prelevati per l’analisi proteomica. Risultati Confrontando i profili proteici relativi al danno parodontale con quelli clinicamente sani, sono state identificate 19 proteine differentemente espresse. In particolare, in tutti i pazienti 8 proteine sono risultate sovraespresse nel tessuto patologico: annessina A2; actina citoplasmatica 1 (spot 13 e 14); anidrasi carbonica 1; anidrasi carbonica 2; Ig catena kappa regione C (spot 17 e 18); flavina-reduttasi. Sono invece risultate sottoespresse 11 proteine: tropomiosina catena alfa-4; proteina sigma 14-3-3; proteina zeta/delta 14-3-3; alfa-enolasi; proteina heat shock beta-1 (spot 5 e spot 6); triosofosfatoisomerasi; perossiredoxina 1; proteina epidermica legante acidi grassi; proteina S100-A9; galectina 7. Conclusioni Dai dati preliminari ottenuti risulta evidenziata l’espressione differenziale, tra tessuto clinicamente sano e relativo al danno parodontale, di proteine che possono svolgere un ruolo importante nella prevenzione del danno cellulare da stress, nella mediazione della risposta immunitaria, nonche nei meccanismi di rigenerazione tissutale. Lo studio del profilo proteomico del tessuto della tasca parodontale potrebbe essere cruciale sia per la conoscenza della patogenesi sia per la terapia della malattia parodontale