β-defensins and the inflammatory periodontal diseases: a systematic review

Relevance. The steady increase in the number of inflammatory periodontal diseases (IPD) requires the search for new methods of their diagnosis, treatment and prevention. A large number of antimicrobial peptides are expressed in the oral cavity, including β-defensins, which form the first line of defense against periodontal pathogens. A more detailed study of these proteins will help us to answer the question: why this protective barrier breaks through and may we use β-defensins as markers of IPD. The aim is to study information about the role of β-defensins in the pathogenesis of IBD and to evaluate the possibility of their use as biomarkers of these diseases.

Materials and methods. Using search systems as PubMed, Google Search and eLIBRARY were found 2106 articles published between 2003 and 2020 years. According to the inclusion and non-inclusion criteria, 39 publications were selected, including in vivo, in vitro and review articles. This review presents data from the selected articles.

Results. β-defensins have antimicrobial activity against periodontal pathogens, but these bacteria can change the expression of the antimicrobial peptides or can be the cause of their destruction due to virulence factors. In addition, the concentration of β-defensins may be affected by the cytokines, synthesized during inflammation in periodontal tissues. Compared with individuals without IPD the patients with chronic generalized gingivitis, aggressive and chronic generalized periodontitis most often have changes in the expression of β-defensins both up and down, which also depends on the stage of the inflammatory process.

Conclusion. β-defensins play an important role in the antimicrobial protection of periodontal tissues from the introduction of periodontal pathogens and can be used as markers of IBD. However evaluating the concentration of defensins in the oral fluid, it is necessary to take into account concomitant factors: the presence of periodontal pathogens, the presence of certain cytokines, the stage of the disease, the presence of concomitant pathology and the genetic aspect.

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