Stem cell factor in gingival crevicular fluid in periodontal health and disease

Background: Stem cell factor is a pleiotropic cytokine produced by several cell types including fibroblasts, bone marrow stromal cells, mast cells, and endothelial cells. In addition, stem cell factor is an important hematopoietic growth factor, which binds to and activates the ligand for the tyrosine kinase-type receptor c-kit. Objectives: Analyze concentration of stem cell factor within gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in both periodontal health and disease and to determine the correlation of stem cell factor in GCF and inflammatory status of periodontal tissues. Materials and methods: Forty-five subjects (aged 24 to 75 years) were classified into the following three groups according to their periodontal tissue status as group I (clinically healthy gingiva with no loss of attachment), group II (gingivitis with no attachment loss), and group III (periodontitis). GCF samples collected from each patient were examined for stem cell factor level using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay. Results: The maximum level of stem cell factor in GCF was obtained for group III (71.8±7.8 pg/g protein), and the lowest mean stem cell factor concentration in GCF was observed for group I (22.1±7.3 pg/g protein). The GCF stem cell factor level of patients in group III was statistically higher than that in group II (p <0.04) and group I (p <0.001). In addition, the mean GCF levels of stem cell factor in group II (48.1±7.5 pg/g protein) were significantly higher than those in group I (p <0.02). There was a positive correlation between stem cell factor in GCF and gingival inflammation index (r=0.59, p <0.001) Conclusion: GCF levels of stem cell factor increased in parallel with the severity of periodontal disease. Its levels in GCF could be potentially useful as a biochemical marker of periodontal inflammation and the host response.