GINGIVAL CREVICULAR STROMELYSIN, COLLAGENASE AND TISSUE INHIBITOR OF METALLOPROTEINASES LEVELS IN HEALTHY AND DISEASED SITES

The ability of stromelysin (SL), fibroblast-type collagenase (FIB-CL) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP), to differentiate be tween healthy, gingivitis and periodontitis sites was investigated. SL and FIB-CL are members of a family of enzymes which are capable of de grading most of the extracellular matrix macromolecules. Extracellular control of these enzymes is performed by TIMP. 40 patients each provi ded 3 GCF samples from healthy, gingivitis and periodontitis sites. GC F samples were collected by means of sterile paper strips. GCF samples were eluted into 500 mu l of assay buffer and assays for SL, FIB-CL a nd TIMP were performed by a sandwich ELISA. The mean amounts of SL and TIMP in diseased sites (gingivitis and periodontitis) were significan tly higher than the mean amount of these GCF components in healthy sit es (MANOVA p values were: 0.006 for SL and 0.001 for TIMP). GCF SL and TIMP differentiated healthy from diseased sites. Both SL and TIMP sho wed moderate correlation with clinical indices. FIB-CL was detectable in only 20.8% of ah sites and did not correlate with disease status.