Collagenase, Acid and Alkaline Phosphatase Activities in Gingival Crevicular Fluid and Effects of Tetracyclines on Collagenase Activities

The purpose of the present study was to assess gingival crevicular fluid enzyme activities and compare the activities between patients in periodontal maintenance care and patients with pre-periodontal treatment (periodontitis patients). Fifteen patients took part in this study. Five were in maintenance care, and ten had not received any periodontal therapy before. Gingival crevicular fluids were collected with Periopaper by intracrevicular method. Crude enzymes were extracted by adding H2O and centrifugation. Three enzymes, collagenase, acid and alkaline phosphatase activities were assayed and compared with the clinical parameters (G. I., PlI, Gingival Bleeding Index, probing depth). Effects of tetracyclines (Doxycycline-HCl, Minocycline-HCl, Tetracycline-HCl) on active collagenase activities were also evaluated in vitro. Results demonstrated that periodontitis patients had higher enzyme activities than patients in maintenance care, and three enzyme activities increased with the increase of the gingival crevicular fluid flow. Periodontitis patients had higher active collagenase and correlated strongly with gingival crevicular fluid flow, whereas latent collagenase activity was predominant in patients in maintenance care. Tetracyclines markedly reduced active collagenase activity. This study also demonstrated the significance of periodontal maintenance care and suggests that the determination of active and latent collagenase activity in gingival crevicular fluid might be useful in assessing both the diseased status of periodontal tissue and the efficacy of periodontal treatment and maintenance care. And, tetracyclines may be therapeutically useful in treating periodontal disease.