Clinical, microbiological, immunological and gene expression analyses in individuals with Down Syndrome and periodontal disease

Abstract

This study aims to detect and quantify the bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and quantify the proteins IL-1alfa, IL-1beta, IL-12, IL-17, TNF-alfa, IL-10 and IFN-gama in the gingival fluid of individuals with DS and control before and 45 days after the basic periodontal treatment. In addition, we will analyze the genes SOD1, IL1alfa, IL1beta, IL-12, IL-17, TNFalfa, IFNG and IL10 in gingival tissue collected during the basic periodontal treatment. It will be selected 40 individuals, 20 with Down syndrome (DS group) and 20 non-syndromic (control), all of them with periodontal disease. To detect and quantify bacteria, gingival fluid will be collected using absorbent paper cones applied for 30 seconds in 3 disease sites and 3 health sites of each individual. Then, the samples will be analyzed through the absolute quantification by real-time PCR. The quantification of proteins will be performed using Luminex technology. For this part stimulated gingival fluid will be collected with the aid of special filter (PerioPaper) for 1 minute in the same sites selected for microbiological analysis. For the analysis of gene expression, a fragment of inflamed gingival tissue will be collected during the basic periodontal treatment and evaluated by real-time PCR. The results will be analyzed by appropriate statistical tests, with significance level of 5%. (AU)