Erschienen in:
26.01.2019 | Original Article
Nuclear morphological changes in gingival epithelial cells of patients with periodontitis
verfasst von:
Antonija Tadin, Lidia Gavic, Marija Roguljic, Daniel Jerkovic, Davor Zeljezic
Erschienen in:
Clinical Oral Investigations
|
Ausgabe 10/2019
Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhalten
Abstract
Objectives
This study assessed the frequency of nuclear morphological changes in gingival epithelial cells, as a biomarker for DNA damage, in individuals with periodontitis, before and after implementation of periodontal therapy, and compared the morphology to those with healthy periodontal tissues.
Materials and methods
Exfoliated gingival cells were taken from 30 participants without periodontal destruction in any teeth and 30 participants with periodontitis before and after 45 and 90 days following treatment. Nuclear morphological changes were analyzed using the micronucleus test.
Results
Compared with the healthy volunteers, those with periodontitis had a significant increase in the number of cells with nuclear broken eggs (P = 0.048), condensed chromatin (P = 0.015), karyolysis (P < 0.001), or binuclei (P < 0.001). In the periodontitis group, the pretreatment frequencies of cells with micronuclei (P = 0.008), binuclei (P < 0.001), karyolysis (P = 0.038), nuclear buds (P = 0.005), and condensed chromatin (P = 0.015) were significantly higher than 90 days after treatment.
Conclusion
Our observations suggest that periodontal disease increases the frequency of nuclear morphological changes in gingival epithelial cells and that the implementation of periodontal therapy was associated with a reduction of that number.
Clinical relevance
The micronucleus test could serve as a tool for estimating genotoxic damage in assessing the success of periodontal therapy.