Elastase in gingival crevicular fluid from smokers and non-smokers with chronic inflammatory periodontal disease.

OBJECTIVE

To compare elastase concentrations in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) from individual sites of smokers and non-smokers.

METHODS

Twelve pairs of smokers and non-smokers with untreated, moderate to advanced chronic inflammatory periodontal disease were matched for gender, age, ethnicity and the clinical and radiographic extent of disease. Durapore filter strip samples were collected over 30 s from two mesiopalatal sites on upper left posterior teeth. Samples were analysed for: 1) polymorphonuclear neutrophil leucocyte (PMNL) cell counts; 2) PMNL elastase-alpha 1-antitrypsin complex in the GCF supernatant by ELISA; and 3) functional elastase, free or bound to alpha 2-macroglobulin, estimated from activity against N-tert-butoxycarbonyl-alanyl-prolyl-norvalyl-p-chlorothiobenzyl ester in supernatant and lysates of GCF PMNLs.

RESULTS

There were no differences in disease parameters between groups except that bleeding on probing was less extensive in smokers (P<0.001). Cell counts and elastase content of crevicular PMNLs showed no differences between groups. Lower concentrations of elastase were found in GCF supernatants from smokers than non-smokers. This difference was observed for functional elastase (mean [s.d.] = 30.21 [17.60] against 73.77 [75.26] ng microliter(-1), p<0.05) and elastase complexed with alpha 1-antitrypsin (8.97 [6.54] ng microliter(-1) against 25.71 [22.07] ng microliter(-1), p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Smokers have lower elastase concentrations in GCF than non-smokers. Further investigation is required to elucidate the underlying cause and its relationship with periodontal disease.