Calcitonin gene-related peptide in gingival crevicular fluid in periodontal health and disease

The aims of the present study were to investigate whether calcitonin gene-r elated peptide (CGRP) was present in gingival crevicular fluid in both peri odontal health and disease and to study the relationship with periodontal i nflammation. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was collected from a healthy, a gingivitis and a periodontitis site in 18 subjects with periodontitis and from a healthy site in 19 subjects without periodontitis. The volume of GC F was measured and each sample subsequently analysed for CGRP by radioimmun oassay. In subjects with periodontitis, CGRP immunoreactivity (CGRP-IR) was not detected in any periodontitis sites, nor in 67% of gingivitis and 28% of periodontally-healthy sites. The total amount of CGRP-IR was significant ly elevated in periodontally: healthy (p=0.0015) and gingivitis (p=0.027) c ompared with periodontitis sites. CGRP-IR was present in 89% of the healthy sites sampled in control subjects at comparable levels to those in healthy sites in periodontitis subjects. It is concluded that in periodontal infla mmation, particularly in deep pockets, constituents of GCF process and degr ade CCRP.