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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Three-dimensional Inflammatory Human Tissue Equivalents of Gingiva
Published on: April 3, 2018
Changes in gingival crevicular fluid inflammatory mediator levels during the induction and resolution of experimental
Steven Offenbacher1, Silvana Barros, L Mendoza
1UNC Center for Oral and Systemic Diseases, North Carolina Oral Health Institute, UNC School of Dentistry, Durham, NC 27709, USA. steve_offenbacher@dentistry.unc.edu
Aim:
The goal of this study is to characterize the changes in 33 biomarkers within the gingival crevicular fluid during the 3-week induction and 4-week resolution of stent-induced, biofilm overgrowth mediated, experimental gingivitis in humans.
Methods:
Experimental gingivitis was induced in 25 subjects for 21 days followed by treatment with a sonic powered toothbrush for 28 days. Clinical indices and gingival crevicular fluids were collected weekly during induction and biweekly during resolution. Samples were analysed using a bead-based multiplexing analysis for the simultaneous measurements of 33 biomarkers within each sample including cytokines, matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs) and adipokines. Prostaglandin-E(2) was measured by enzyme-linked immunoadsorbant assay. Statistical testing using general linear models with structured covariance matrices were performed to compare stent to contralateral (non-stent) changes in clinical signs and in biomarker levels over time.
Results:
Gingivitis induction was associated with a significant 2.6-fold increase in interleukin 1-beta (IL-beta), a 3.1-fold increase in IL-1alpha and a significant decrease in multiple chemokines as well as MMPs-1, -3 and 13. All changes in clinical signs and mediators rebounded to baseline in response to treatment in the resolution phase.
Conclusions:
Stent-induced gingivitis is associated with marked, but reversible increases in IL-alphaa and IL-1beta with suppression of multiple chemokines as well as selected MMPs.
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