Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Effect Of Tumor Necrosis Factorα On Expression Of Heme-Oxgenase1 In Human Gingival Fibroblasts, Jay Patel

PCOM Biomedical Studies Student Scholarship

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is characterized by activation of gingival fibroblasts to produce matrix metalloproteinases and other inflammatory mediators that contribute to destruction of tissues surrounding the teeth. In the United States, 22% of adults have a mild form of periodontal disease and 13% suffer from a severe form of the disease. In addition to tooth loss, periodontitis is associated with increased risk of several conditions, including diabetes, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular disease. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is activated by a wide variety of stressful stimuli and levels are increased in inflamed tissues. HO-1 degrades free heme, …