COMPARATIVE ESTIMATION OF HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN 70 (HSP 70) EXPRESSION IN HEALTH, GINGIVITIS AND PERIODONTITIS.

Background: Although periodontal bacteria are the causative agents of periodontitis, subsequent progression and disease severity are thought to be determined by a host's immune responses. HSPs may be expressed during periodontal diseases. Objective: To compare the HSP 70 expression within layers of epithelium and connective tissue and correlate the expression of HSP 70 with the severity of periodontal disease. Materials & Methods: The study population comprised of 25 patients with periodontitis, and 23 patients with gingivitis and 21 controls with healthy gingival; tissue samples collected from the Department of Periodontology /Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery respectively. An immunohistochemical analysis was done for HSP 70 expression. Results: One way ANOVA results indicate a statistically significant expression in basal layer for mild inflammation (mean=2.36) and intensity in stratum spinosum for mild (mean=2.27) and minimum (mean=2.39) inflammation. An overall greater HSP 70 expression is noticed in periodontitis group (total IRIDI = 25.41) however not statistically significant Conclusion: We elucidated that there was significant HSP 70 expression in stratum basale and spinosum for mild inflammation that did not increase with severity of inflammation. The overall expression of HSP70 is insignificantly elevated in periodontitis compared to health & gingivitis. Statistical analysis used: One way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Mann Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis Test. Keywords:  Heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70), Immunohistochemistry (IHC), Porphyromonas gingivalis.