IADR Abstract Archives
Prediction of Salivary Proteases in Patients Undergoing Orthodontic Treatment
Objectives: The aim of this study was to predict the activity of human salivary proteases during the alignment stage of orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances using naturally occurring peptides in the saliva of orthodontic patients.
Methods: Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from five orthodontic patients. Samples were collected before fixed appliance placement (T1), 1 hour (T2) and 1 week (T3) following appliance placement, and completion of alignment (T4). Naturally occurring peptides in the saliva were extracted using 10 kDa centrifugal filters. Peptides were identified by mass spectrometry. Protease prediction was carried out using Proteasix in silico with the identified peptides. Gelatin zymography and ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were performed to assess proteolytic activity.
Results: An association between orthodontic treatment and the number of degraded peptides was observed. The number of peptides significantly increased at T2 and T3, then returned to baseline levels at T4. In total, 78 proteases revealed some predicted activity. A comparison of T1 to T2, T3 and T4 showed significant changes in predicted protease activity. More predicted protease activity of different matrix metalloproteinases, cathepsins and others was observed at T2 and T3 when compared to T1 and T4.
Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that orthodontic treatment causes changes in predicted proteases and proteolytic activity and hence these proteases may play a major role as potential biomarkers for fixed appliance orthodontic treatment. However, this should be further validated in studies with larger numbers of patients.
Methods: Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from five orthodontic patients. Samples were collected before fixed appliance placement (T1), 1 hour (T2) and 1 week (T3) following appliance placement, and completion of alignment (T4). Naturally occurring peptides in the saliva were extracted using 10 kDa centrifugal filters. Peptides were identified by mass spectrometry. Protease prediction was carried out using Proteasix in silico with the identified peptides. Gelatin zymography and ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) were performed to assess proteolytic activity.
Results: An association between orthodontic treatment and the number of degraded peptides was observed. The number of peptides significantly increased at T2 and T3, then returned to baseline levels at T4. In total, 78 proteases revealed some predicted activity. A comparison of T1 to T2, T3 and T4 showed significant changes in predicted protease activity. More predicted protease activity of different matrix metalloproteinases, cathepsins and others was observed at T2 and T3 when compared to T1 and T4.
Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that orthodontic treatment causes changes in predicted proteases and proteolytic activity and hence these proteases may play a major role as potential biomarkers for fixed appliance orthodontic treatment. However, this should be further validated in studies with larger numbers of patients.