INCREASED RATE OF SALIVARY EPIDERMAL GROWTH-FACTOR SECRETION IN PATIENTS WITH JUVENILE PERIODONTITIS

We compared salivary epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations in p atients with juvenile periodontitis (JP) and periodontally healthy con trols. In initial screening of 45 JP patients and a group of healthy c ontrols, significantly higher salivary EGF concentrations were measure d in the JP patients. Subsequently, 17 JP patients who had high EGF co ncentrations in some of their salivary samples were chosen, and a grou p of age- and sex-matched controls was selected. We then examined thei r EGF concentrations and EGF secretion rates under standardized condit ions in stimulated and unstimulated saliva and studied the expression of EGF receptor (EGF-R) in their gingival tissues. The results showed that the mean EGF concentration (pmol/ml) was slightly higher in JP pa tients than in controls. However, the difference was statistically sig nificant only in stimulated saliva and when calculated per milligram s alivary protein. When EGF release was measured as the rate of EGF secr etion (pg/min), significantly higher values were observed in JP patien ts than in controls both in unstimulated and stimulated saliva. Immuno fluorescence microscopy (IF) of gingival samples from JP patients and their controls revealed no quantitative or qualitative differences in the expression of EGF-R. Our results demonstrate the complex nature of salivary EGF release. The elevated rate of salivary EGF secretion in JP patients may be associated with the pathogenetic mechanisms of juve nile periodontitis.