Elastase in gingival crevicular fluid from smokers and non-smokers with chronic inflammatory periodontal disease

OBJECTIVE: To compare elastase concentrations in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) from individual sites of smokers and non-smokers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve pairs of smokers and non-smokers with untreated, moderate to advanced chronic inflammatory periodontal disease were matched for gender, age, ethnicity and the clinical and radio-graphic extent of disease. Durapore filter strip samples were collected over 30 s from two mesiopalatal sites on upper left posterior teeth. Samples were analysed for: I) polymorphonuclear neutrophil leucocyte (PMNL) cell counts; 2) PMNL elastase-αI-antitrypsin complex in the GCF supernatant by ELISA; and 3) functional elastase, free or bound to α2-macroglobulin, estimated from activity against N-tert-butoxycarbonyI-alanyl-prolyl-nor-valylg-chlorothiobenzyl ester in supernatant and lysates of GCF PMNLs.
RESULTS: There were no differences in disease parameters between groups except that bleeding on probing was less extensive in smokers (P< 0.001). Cell counts and elastase content of crevicular PMNLs showed no differences between groups. Lower concentrations of elastase were found in GCF supernatants from smokers than non-smokers. This difference was observed for functional elastase (mean [s.d.] = 30.21 [17.60] against 73.77 [75.26] ng μI^-1, P <0.05) and elastase complexed with αl-antitrypsin (8.97 [6.54] ng μl^-1 against 25.71 [22.07] ng μI^-1, P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Smokers have lower elastase concentrations in GCF than non-smokers. Further investigation is required to elucidate the underlying cause and its relationship with periodontal disease.