Salivary proteome modifications associated with periodontitis in obese patients

Aim To identify changes in the salivary protein/peptide profiles by differential proteomics in obese patients with or without periodontitis. Material and Methods Periodontal examinations and whole saliva samples were obtained from 38 obese patients (mean age: 45.1 similar to +/-similar to 7.3 similar to years, mean BMI: 49.3 similar to +/-similar to 9 similar to kg/m2) including 13 periodontitis and 25 non-periodontitis subjects, and 19 healthy controls (mean age: 44.2 similar to +/-similar to 6.4 similar to years, mean BMI: 21.5 similar to +/-similar to 2.1 similar to kg/m2). Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (SELDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) was used to compare the whole saliva polypeptide profiles. Results The SELDI-TOF-MS analysis detected eight putative markers. Six of them were increased and identified in obese subjects versus controls (albumin, a and beta haemoglobin chains, a-defensins 1, 2 and 3). Alpha-defensins were less abundant in saliva of periodontitis obese patients (36.47 similar to +/-similar to 19.84 similar to mu A) versus non-periodontitis obese patients (43.44 similar to +/-similar to 30.34 similar to mu A), whereas a-defensins were more abundant in obese patients (40.99 similar to +/-similar to 26.66 similar to mu A) versus controls (27.1 similar to +/-similar to 23.98 similar to mu A). Conclusions Periodontal status modifies the salivary proteome in obese patients. Alpha-defensins may play a role in gingival inflammation, and be involved in the higher susceptibility of obese patients to periodontal diseases.