Levels of selected inflammatory parameters in gingival crevicular fluid of patients with stage III and IV periodontitis

Background: The pathogenesis of periodontitis involves complex interactions within the host immune system. This study aimed to characterize the immune profile of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) in patients with stage III and IV periodontitis. Methods: Patients diagnosed with stage III or IV periodontitis were included, with age- and sex-matched individuals serving as healthy controls. GCF samples were analyzed for soluble CD14 (sCD14), Galectin-3, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) using a multiplex microbead-based assay on the XMAP/Luminex system. Results: A total of 25 patients and 25 controls were included. Clinical parameters—pocket probing depth, gingival index, and plaque index—were significantly elevated in the periodontitis group. Cytokine levels in GCF were generally higher in patients with periodontitis. Post-treatment, levels of IL-6, TSLP, sCD14, MCP-1, and MMP-8 significantly decreased and were lower in controls. In contrast, Galectin-3 levels increased following treatment, while NGAL levels remained unchanged. IL-10 levels were frequently undetectable and did not change significantly after therapy. Conclusions: This study highlights the involvement of multiple immune mediators, including those linked to neutrophil activity, in periodontal tissue destruction. Following successful periodontal therapy, local inflammatory markers decreased, reflecting a reduction in periodontal inflammatory activity.