Positive correlational shift between crevicular antimicrobial peptide LL-37, pain and periodontal status following non-surgical periodontal therapy. A pilot study.
Madruga. David D; Garcia. Miguel M MM; Martino. Luca L; Hassan. Haidar H; Elayat. Ghada G; Ghali. Lucy L; Ceballos. Laura L
Key Findings
- Higher LL‑37 levels in gingival crevicular fluid are linked to more severe periodontitis and greater pain
- LL‑37 levels decrease after non‑surgical periodontal therapy, especially in advanced disease
- Anti‑inflammatory cytokines IL‑4 and IL‑10 remain low in disease and barely improve after treatment
Practical Outcomes
- For biohackers, LL‑37 may serve as a potential biomarker to monitor gum health and treatment response, but there’s no direct protocol for supplementation or dosage. Focus on proven oral hygiene practices and professional cleanings, and consider tracking gum inflammation markers if you have access to lab testing.
Summary
The study found that the antimicrobial peptide LL‑37 in gum fluid rises with worse gum disease and drops after a deep cleaning, and it also tracks with pain levels. While this suggests LL‑37 could help gauge gum health, the research doesn’t tell you how to use the peptide itself for treatment or prevention.
Abstract
Periodontitis has a high prevalence and uncertain recurrence. Unlike the pro-inflammatory cytokine profile, little is known about the anti-inflammatory cytokine and antimicrobial peptide overview following treatment. The present study aimed to evaluate if any of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37, interleukin (IL) 4, 10 and 6 together with the volume of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and total protein concentration in GCF could be used as correlative biomarkers for the severity in periodontitis as well as prognostic factors in the management of the disease. Forty-five participants were recruited and allocated to the healthy (15), Stage I-II (15) or Stage III-IV periodontitis (15) group. Along with periodontal examination, GCF samples were obtained at baseline and 4-6 weeks following scaling and root planing (SRP) for the periodontitis groups. GCF samples were analyzed by ELISA kits to quantify LL-37 and IL-4, -6 and - 10. One-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett's test was used to determine differences among the three groups at baseline. Two-way ANOVA followed by Sidak's post-hoc test was used to compare between pre- and post-SRP in the two periodontitis groups. The amount of GCF volume was significantly correlated to the severity of periodontitis and decreased following SRP, particularly in the Stage III-IV group (p < 0.01). The levels of LL-37, IL-6, and pain and periodontal clinical parameters were significantly correlated to the severity of periodontitis. IL-4 and IL-10 in the periodontitis groups were significantly lower than the healthy group (p < 0.0001) and barely improved following SRP up to the level of the healthy group. With the limitations of this study, crevicular LL-37 may be a candidate for a biomarker of periodontitis and the associated pain upon probing. The study was registered in clinical trials.gov, with number NCT04404335, dated 27/05/2020.
Study Information
pubmed
2023
2023-05-28T00:00:00.000Z
10.1186/s12903-023-03023-w
4
50