Will periodontitis recur? Protein may help clinicians know

Researchers may have identified a novel biomarker to predict which patients may be at risk of periodontitis recurrence following surgical periodontal therapy, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology.

In the study, the researchers collected the gingival crevicular fluid proteins of 21 patients with periodontitis who underwent surgical periodontal therapy. They sought to understand which proteins were linked to the mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the gingival fibroblasts.

The researchers discovered that periodontal pocket depth was reduced and the gingival crevicular fluid protein pattern altered following surgical periodontal therapy. In addition, an increase in the LIGHT protein was strongly associated with early signs of tissue degradation following treatment. This protein was found to upregulate the mRNA expression of interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and matrix metalloproteinase-9.

The researchers concluded that the LIGHT protein may be predictive of periodontitis recurrence in this patient population. Further studies may be needed to validate the findings.

Read more: Journal of Clinical Periodontology

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