Cytokine-based Predictive Models to Estimate the Probability of Chronic Periodontitis: Development of Diagnostic Nomograms
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
Authors: Tomas, I.; Arias-Bujanda, N.; Alonso-Sampedro, M.; Casares-de-Cal, M. A.; Sanchez-Sellero, C.; Suarez-Quintanilla, D.; Balsa-Castro, C.
Abstract
Although a distinct cytokine profile has been described in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) of patients with chronic periodontitis, there is no evidence of GCF cytokine-based predictive models being used to diagnose the disease. Our objectives were: to obtain GCF cytokine-based predictive models; and develop nomograms derived from them. A sample of 150 participants was recruited: 75 periodontally healthy controls and 75 subjects affected by chronic periodontitis. Sixteen mediators were measured in GCF using the Luminex 100 T instrument: GMCSF, IFNgamma, IL1alpha, IL1beta, IL2, IL3, IL4, IL5, IL6, IL10, IL12p40, IL12p70, IL13, IL17A, IL17F and TNFalpha. Cytokine-based models were obtained using multivariate binary logistic regression. Models were selected for their ability to predict chronic periodontitis, considering the different role of the cytokines involved in the inflammatory process. The outstanding predictive accuracy of the resulting smoking-adjusted models showed that IL1alpha, IL1beta and IL17A in GCF are very good biomarkers for distinguishing patients with chronic periodontitis from periodontally healthy individuals. The predictive ability of these pro-inflammatory cytokines was increased by incorporating IFN gamma and IL10. The nomograms revealed the amount of periodontitis-associated imbalances between these cytokines with pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects in terms of a particular probability of having chronic periodontitis.
Involvement of the IL23/Th17 Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Tunisian Pemphigus Foliaceus
MEDIATORS OF INFLAMMATION
Authors: Ben Jmaa, M.; Abida, O.; Fakhfakh, R.; Bahloul, E.; Sellami, Kh; Gaddour, L.; Elloumi, N.; Ben Ayed, M.; Masmoudi, A.; Dhouib, M.; Abdelmoula, M.; Mahfoudh, N.; Makni, H.; Turki, H.; Masmoudi, H.
Abstract
Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is a rare autoimmune skin disease caused by anti-Dsg1 pathogenic autoantibodies. It is considered as a Th2-mediated disease. Likewise, Th17 cells were recently described in the pathogenesis of the disease but their role is still unclear. We aimed to unravel the eventual implication of the IL23/Th17 pathway in the development of PF. A case-control study was conducted on 115 PF patients and 201 healthy controls using PCR-RFLP and AS-PCR methods. SNPs in IL23R, ROR gamma t, IL17A, IL17F, IL17AR, TNF alpha, and STAT3 genes were genotyped. mRNA expression of IL23R and ROR gamma t was evaluated using Q-PCR. The frequency of circulating Th17 cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. Genetic associations between IL23R>rs11209026, IL17A>rs3748067, IL17F>rs763780, and TNFa>rs1800629 and the susceptibility to PF were reported. Moreover, we revealed a significant increased frequency of circulating CD4(+) IL17(+) cells as well as higher mRNA levels of ROR gamma t and IL23R in PBMCs of patients. However, no significant increase of ROR gamma t and IL23R mRNA expression was observed in lesional skin biopsies. In spite of the little size of specimens, our results provide converging arguments for the contribution of the IL23/Th17 pathway in the pathogenesis of PF.