Gingival overgrowth is a common side-effect of the administration of cyclosporin A (CSA), phenytoin, and calcium blockers. To identify the signaling mechanisms possibly involved in the overgrowth, we examined how CSA affects the activities of MAP kinases and transcription factors in human gingival fibroblasts (HGF). The HGF were treated with CSA and TNF-alpha or PDGF. DNA-binding activity of NF...

Cigarette smoke, a complex mixture of over 7000 chemicals, contains many components capable of eliciting oxidative stress, which may induce smoking-related disorders, including oral cavity diseases. In this study, we investigated the effects of whole (mainstream) cigarette smoke on human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). Cells were exposed to various puffs (0.5-12) of whole cigarette smoke and oxida...

17B-ol-3-one, 5( 10)-estren17/3-ol-3-one, an isomer each of 5-estrane-3,17-diol and estradiene-3,17-diol and two isomers each of S( 10)-estren-3-ol-17-one and S( l0)-estrene3,17-diol were identified. None of these steroids was detected in the blank incubated samples. In the blank phenolic fractions traces of oestrone and oestradiol-17P were present. In the post-incubation extracts a definite in...

Objective: To evaluate the relationship of phenytoin-induced gingival enlargement and inflammation to find out if there is any significant correlation between hyperplastic index and periodontal parameters, the number of fibroblasts and phagocytic cells. Background: The introduction of phenytoin as an anti-epileptic drug in 1938 marked the beginning of a new era in the treatment of grandmal epil...

The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) released by Porphyromonas gingivalis, a Gram-negative bacterium found in the periodontal pockets of patients with periodontitis, induces bone resorbing activity in vivo. We previously showed that a receptor for LPS on human gingival fibroblasts and gingival epithelial cells is CD14. In this study, we established a mouse model of experimental periodontitis by applyin...

Given the spread of antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens, antimicrobial peptides that can also modulate the immune response may be a novel approach for effectively controlling periodontal infections. In the present study, we used a three-dimensional (3D) co-culture model of gingival epithelial cells and fibroblasts stimulated with Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans lipopolysaccharide...

Transforming growth factor (TGF)β acts on fibroblasts to promote the production and remodeling of extracellular matrix (ECM). In adult humans, excessive action of TGFβ is associated with fibrotic disease and fibroproliferative conditions, including gingival hyperplasia. Understanding how the TGFβ1 signals in fibroblasts is therefore likely to result in valuable insights into the fundamental mec...