Arginine–Nitric Oxide–Polyamine Metabolism in Periodontal Disease

Background: Arginine is converted to nitric oxide (NO) via NO synthase and to ornithine via arginase. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) catalyzes the conversion of ornithine to polyamines. Arginase can inhibit NO production, and NO can inhibit ODC activity as part of an early inflammatory response. This study examines the arginine‐NO‐polyamine pathway alteration in saliva and gingival biopsy samples of patients with gingivitis or periodontitis and healthy controls and evaluates the response to periodontal treatment. Methods: This study includes nine gingivitis patients, 15 chronic periodontitis patients, and 11 healthy age‐matched controls. Periodontal clinical measurements, gingival biopsies, and saliva samples were obtained before treatment (BT) and 1 month after periodontal treatment (AT). Arginase and ODC activities and NO levels were determined spectrophotometrically. Results: The BT salivary and gingival NO levels were found to be highest in the gingivitis group, followed by the healthy and the periodontitis groups, respectively. Salivary NO levels significantly increased in the periodontitis group and decreased in the gingivitis group AT ( P <0.05). Gingival NO levels decreased significantly in the periodontitis and the gingivitis groups AT ( P <0.05). Arginase levels were detected highest in the gingivitis group and lowest in the periodontitis group, both in saliva and gingiva. Only gingival arginase levels significantly increased AT ( P <0.05). ODC activity was highest in saliva, and lowest in the gingiva of the periodontitis patients BT. It was found to be significantly higher in the periodontitis group AT ( P <0.05). Conclusions: In this study, regarding arginine‐NO‐polyamine metabolism, gingival tissue seems to be more informative about periodontal pathogenesis than saliva. At early phase of periodontal inflammation, NO arginase and ODC levels were measured as higher than at an established lesion of periodontitis.