Gingival tissue MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels of chronic periodontitis patients with or without smoking

Although it is known that smoking is a risk factor for periodontitis, it is not yet clear how it affects periodontal destruction mechanism. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of smoking and chronic periodontitis on gingival MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels, to determine the role of MMP-2 and MMP-9 on periodontal disease and to determine the relationship between smoking and gelatinases. 35 women, 45 men aged between 16-62 were included in this study (total 80 patients). Patients were divided into four groups: smokers with chronic periodontitis (n=20), non-smokers with chronic periodontitis (n=20), smokers without periodontal diease (control n=20), non-smokers without periodontal disease (control n=20). Periodontal parameters (pocket depth, gingival recession, plak index, gingival index) were recorded in each individual and gingival tissue samples were obtained in the same appointment. Gingival tissue samples were obtained from the deepest periodontal pocket in the periodontitis patients. Samples of the control groups were obtained during crown-lengthening or orthodontic tooth extraction procedures. Inflammatory cell, neovascularization and fibroblastic proliferation levels were evaluated in the tissue samples with hematoxylin and eosin staining, MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were evaluated with immunohistochemical staining. After statistical analyses, MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were found to be higher in patients with periodontitis compared to control groups (p<0,05). It was also found that smoking decreased the MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels in patients with chronic periodontitis but had no effect on MMP-2 levels in the control group and increased the MMP-9 levels in the control groups (p<0,05). Also it was found that there were positive correlation between MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels and inflammation, neovascularization and fibroblastic proliferation. In this study MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were found to be higher in chronic periodontitis patients but the results on the effects of smoking on MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels were conflicting. Further studies are needed to find out the effects of smoking on gelatinases. Key words: smoking, periodontitis, gelatinase, gingival tissue.