PLATELET ASSOCIATION WITH GINGIVAL TISSUE INFLAMMATION

PLATELETS (PL) MAY BE INVOLVED in the inflammatory process through the release of a variety of factors which could contribute to gingival ti ssue injury. Thus, conditions which result in the localized discharge of PL constituents could lead to amplification of the inflammatory pro cess at these sites. The purpose of this study was to determine if the re was evidence of PL activation in gingival crevicular fluid and whet her the degree of gingival inflammation, as measured by the gingival i ndex (GI), was associated with the degree of platelet activation. This was monitored by assaying for beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG), a plate let specific protein released from alpha granules of PL when activated . One uL samples of the fluids were obtained from human subjects from gingival sites with various GI scores. Fluid samples were also obtaine d at probe-induced bleeding gingival crevicular sites. beta-TG levels in the various fluids obtained from the crevice were determined by rad ioimmunoassay (RIA). The RIA data indicated that detectable beta-TG le vels were observed in all samples, the means ranging from 5.5 ng/ml to 45.2 ng/ml. Additionally, a positive association between the GI score s of 0 and 1 and the beta-TG levels where observed. For GI scores of 2 and above the beta-TG concentrations appeared to approach a maximum v alue. These findings provide evidence for PL activation and suggest a relationship with gingival inflammation.