Abstract
BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to determine the association between periodontal disease and the Th17/Treg balance by examining the genetic expression of IL-17 and TGF-β, which influence incidence and suppression of inflammation. METHODS: In this case-control study, samples were collected in a randomized and task-oriented order. Thirty-seven patients referred to professional periodontology clinics in Mashhad and the Periodontology Department of the Mashhad Dentistry Faculty for periodontal (case) or crown-length (control) surgery was enrolled. IL-17 and TGF-β gene expression indices were measured in tissue samples by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The IL-17 gene expression index was higher in the case group (2.68±0.91) than in the control group (1.68±0.41), but this difference was not significant. The TGF-β gene expression index was significantly higher in the case group (54.42±7.88) than in the control group (24.12±3.38). CONCLUSION: L-17 and TGF-β expression is increased in chronic periodontitis patients, but TGF-β plays a more important role in periodontal inflammation in patients with chronic periodontitis. Further studies of the roles of Th17 and Treg cells are warranted.