ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Although it is well-described that proteoglycans (PGs) are among the major non-collagenous components of the matrix which are degraded during periodontal diseases, the relationship between PG metabolism and seventy of periodontal breakdown, the extent of degradation of PGs together with the resulting end-products, and the elimination pathways of these catabolic end-products is likely to need further clarification. OBJECTIVE: The main aim of the present study was to analyze the possible impact of severity of periodontal destruction on PG metabolism of gingiva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). MATERIAL AND METHODS: For this purpose, gingiva and GCF samples obtained from patients (n = 45) exhibiting sites (n = 57) with moderate periodontal breakdown (MP) or severe periodontal breakdown (SP) were analyzed for PG metabolism via spectrophotometric determination of uronic acid levels. Gingiva and GCF samples were obtained from the same sites in every patient to analyze the possible relationship between uronic acid content of gingival tissue and GCF. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in uronic acid levels between sites with MP and SP (p > 0.05). The uronic acid content of GCF and gingiva showed significant overlaps between MP and SP sites and uronic acid levels did not present any constant correlation with the clinical parameters (p > 0.05). In a similar manner, uronic acid content of GCF and gingival tissue was not correlated (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The lack of a significant correlation between the uronic acid content of gingival tissue and GCF may suggest that the passage of PG metabolites from gingiva to GCF is likely to be under the influence of multifactorial interactions rather than being linear. As a general measure of PG metabolism, uronic acid levels do not seem to be related with the severity of periodontal destruction and tend to act as different measures when compared to traditional clinical parameters.
