Drug-induced gingival overgrowth is a side effect associated with 3 types of drugs: anticonvulsants (phenytoin), immunosuppressive agents (cyclosporine A), and various calcium channel blockers for cardiovascular diseases. Gingival overgrowth is characterized by the accumulation of extracellular matrix in gingival connective tissues, particularly collagenous components with various degrees of in...

A study was conducted to examine the effect of endotoxin present in periodontal pockets on the proliferation and attachment of human cell lines on the culture plates (Ca9-22 and gingival fibroblasts). The endotoxin was collected from periodontal pockets of anterior teeth in patients with periodontal disease by subgingival irrigation with sterilized distilled water. The solutions obtained were t...

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease resulting in the destruction of the tissue and alveolar bone supporting the teeth and leading ultimately to tooth loss. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is an important inflammatory mediator in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. The biosynthesis of PGE2 is catalysed by three groups of enzymes acting sequentially: phospholipase A2 (PLA2), cyclooxygenases (C...

Functional heterogeneity exists among fibroblasts in gingiva. There is remarkable variation in the protein synthetic activities, the proliferative capacities and the drug-response potentials of various subpopulations of such cells. These functional differences may play a role in the pathogenesis of phenytoin-induced gingival enlargement, as subpopulation mixtures are altered by conditions withi...

Gingival epithelial cells and fibroblasts play important roles and have a harmonious relationship under normal and disease conditions, but the precise differences between theses cells remain unknown. To study the differences in gene expression between human gingival epithelial cells (HGE) and human gingival fibroblasts (HGF), mRNA was recovered from primary cultured cells and analyzed using cDN...