| dc.description.abstract | This cross-sectional study examined potential differences in concentration of
Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) in serum and citric acid-stimulated saliva from patients with
Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS) and healthy age-, sex-, and periodontal disease- matched
control patients. Salivation was stimulated with 5 ml of 2% citric acid, and whole saliva
samples were collected. Full-mouth clinical periodontal measurements were recorded
from 21 SS patients and 22 unaffected control patients. Saliva and plasma TLR3
concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbentassays (ELISA). Data
were tested statistically as appropriate to the data distribution.
No significant difference in clinical periodontal measurements, or serum or
salivary TLR3 concentrations was evident between groups. Salivary flow rates were
significantly lower (p<0.001) whereas plaque % were significantly higher (p=0.048) in
SS patients. SS patients expressed on average 0.183 and 0.219 ng/ml TLR in saliva and
serum, respectively, while healthy control patients expressed on average 0.299 and 0.188
ng/ml TLR in saliva and serum, respectively. These differences were not significantly
different (p<0.05). This is the first detection of TLR3 in human serum or saliva as
quantified or qualified by ELISA.
The present findings do not support a hypothesis that a hyperinflammatory
systemic state, as seen in SS patients, can independently raise serum or saliva TLR3
concentration in the absence of periodontal disease in treated SS patients. | en |
