Transforming growth factor-β, interleukin-17, and IL-23 gene expression profiles associated with human peri-implantitis

Abstract

Objectives: The mRNA expression profiles of IL-23/Th17 and the Treg-associated cytokine TGF-β in peri-implantitis are currently under research. This study characterized the IL-17, IL-23, and TGF-β gene expression levels in healthy and diseased peri-implant tissues and correlated these data with radiographic bone loss.

Material and methods: Peri-implant soft tissues from 40 subjects (20 healthy controls with mean age of 59.4 ± 6.3, and 20 with peri-implantitis with mean age of 56.6 ± 5.5) were enrolled in this study, and real-time PCR (RT-PCR) was used to define the profile of IL-17, IL-23, and TGF-β gene expression.

Results: Higher levels of TGF-β mRNA were observed in biopsies taken from healthy controls, and the IL-23 mRNA levels were significantly increased in the peri-implantitis group (P < 0.0001). No differences in IL-17 mRNA levels were observed between the two groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: Data presented in this report demonstrated a predominant Th17 response in peri-implantitis subjects based on the higher levels of IL-23 and lower levels of TGF-β detected.

Keywords: IL-17; IL-23; RT-PCR; TGF-β; Th1; Th2; cytokines; gene expression; peri-implant bone loss; peri-implantitis/peri-implant diseases.