Pro-inflammatory cytokines and antioxidative enzymes as salivary biomarkers of dentofacial infections in children

Background.Dentofacial infection resulting from untreated dental caries or periodontal disease is a seri ous disease that can spread to deeper tissues of the face and neck.Objectives.The present study aimed to analyze the salivary cytokine profile and oxidative stress para meters as potential biomarkers of acute odontogenic infections in children. Material and methods.The prospective study group (DI) consisted of 28 children aged 3-17 years with acute dentofacial infections, and the control group (CG) comprised 52 children aged 4-17 years with uncomplicated dental caries.The cytokine profile was analyzed using the BioPlex Pro ™ Human Cytokine 27plex kit.In addition, oxidative stress parameters, such as catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), manganese SOD (MnSOD), copperzinc SOD (CuZnSOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), and malondialdehyde (MDA), in the saliva of children in both groups were compared.Results.The levels of interleukin 6 (IL6), macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP1α) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) were significantly increased in children with dentofacial infections as compared to CG.In contrast, the levels of other proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL1β, IL1 receptor agonist (ILRa), IL8, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1), and MIP1β, did not show statisti cally significant differences between the 2 groups.Among the measured oxidative stress and antioxidative parameters, only CAT and GR were elevated in children with dentofacial infections as compared to controls.Conclusions.IL6, MIP1α, TNFα, CAT, and GR can serve as selective biomarkers of oral cavity inflamma tion in children.These biomarkers can be useful in identifying and monitoring the progress and treatment of bacterial infections resulting in dentofacial inflammation.