The Study Of Human Gingival Tissues Of Different Exposure To Cigarette Smoke

PURPOSE: Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for oral hygiene and periodontal status. The study was to investigate the relationship between different exposure to cigarette smoke and expression of VEGF and apoptosis in stratum spinosum and stratum basale cells of human gingival epithelium.METHODS: 47 smoking patients of crown lengthening surgery or extraction of impacted teeth were enrolled. It comprised 41 men and 6 women. The age ranged from 18 to 29 years old (mean age 21.4). According to smoke history (SH), averaged cigarettes per day (ACD) and total smoke number (TSN), 47 smokers were divided into group I (SH<5years or ACD<10 and TSN<15 thousand n=19), group II (5years≤SH or 10≤ACD and 15 thousand ≤ TSN n=28). Another 10 non-smoking patients were chosen as control. Apoptosis was identified by the terminal deoxy-transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. Differences between the groups were analyzed using Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK).The criteria for statistical significance were accepted at the probability level( p < 0.05).RESULTS: There was increased apoptosis in stratum spinosumin and stratum basale cells of smokers compared to that of non-smokers. Apoptosis in stratum spinosumin cells was significant different between smokers and non-smokers (P < 0. 01), between group I and group II (P < 0. 01). The expression of Bcl-2 was weaker in gingival epithelium of smokers. The expression of VEGF in human gingival epithelium of smokers was significantly increased compared with non-smokers (P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION: Exposure to cigarette smoke can increase apoptosis in stratum spinosumin cells of human gingival epithelium, which may influence the normal metabolism and protein secretion. We also conclude that cigarette smoking may influence the health of gingival epithelium through the secretion of VEGF.