Drop in transforming growth factor-alpha and osteoprotegerin level in gingival crevicular fluid from patients with...

Inflammatory mediators, especially cytokine, play a central role in the pathogenesis of gingivitis. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify the various growth factors, and cytokines in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients with gingivitis, as compared with those of control subjects. The levels of cytokine in the samples were determined by their respective ELISAs. The transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha and osteoprotegerin (OPG) level were significantly lower in patients with gingivitis than in the controls (p < 0.05). Also, there was a positive correlation between TGF-alpha and OPG levels (r = 0.761). These results suggest that the decrease in growth factor TGF-alpha is associated with the pathophysiology and/or the progress of gingivitis.