Polyamines in nickel-titanium archwire-induced gingivitis in adolescents

Polyamines spermine, spermidine, and putrescine are involved in a number of inflammatory diseases, but their role in the development of gingivitis and periodontitis has not been fully investigated. The goal of this investigation was to study the levels and the variations of these amines, and the main enzymes related to their metabolism, during archwire orthodontic treatment, a condition which may induce gingivitis.

Sixty patients (age range: 11 to 27 years) were examined for gingivitis occurring during nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) archwire orthodontic treatment. Plaque and gingival indexes (PI, GI) as well as salivary polyamine metabolism before the archwire insertion (T0) and at 3 (T1), 6 (T2), and 12 (T3) months of treatment were measured.

In patients in the age range of 14 to 17 years, spermine and spermidine, but not putrescine contents, as well as ornithine-decarboxylase (ODC) and S-adenosylmethionine-decarboxylase (SAMDC) activities, significantly rose at 3 months after insertion, without any change in periodontal parameters, and further increased at 6 months reaching the maximum at 12 months. GI increased later, from 6 to 12 months, while PI did not significantly change. Spermidine/spermine-N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) activity remained unchanged from T0 to T3. On the contrary, in patients whose age was 11 to 13 or over 18 years, no significant variations in polyamine metabolism and periododontal parameters were observed at any examination time.

These data support the hypothesis that salivary polyamines might be earlier indicators of gingivitis than the gingival index score in adolescents wearing archwire appliances.