Methylation Status of Interleukin-8 (IL-8) Gene in Periodontitis Patients

Objectives: Inflammatory mediators in periodontal disease are sourced from monocytes, lymphocytes, mast cells, fibroblasts and endothelial cells. The mediators are cytokines such as Interleukin-1 (IL-1), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-a) and Interleukin-8 (IL-8). DNA methylation in IL-8 gene influences the chemotactic factor of neutrophils in periodontitis. Objectives: To determine the methylation status of IL-8 gene and to compare this status in periodontitis patients and healthy individuals.
Methods: Bisulfite modification and MS-PCR were used to analyze the methylation status of IL-8 in 35 subjects with periodontitis and in 65 healthy control subjects.
Results: Of all subjects, three (3%) were fully methylated, 97 (97%) partially methylated, and none fully unmethylated, and there was no significant difference in the methylation status between the subjects with periodontitis and the control group (p=>0.05).
Conclusions: No significant difference was found in the IL-8 methylation status between periodontitis patients and healthy individuals.