An observational study in Periodontitis and Gingivitis, sponsored by Inonu University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 18 Years to 60 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-11.
Sponsored by Inonu University · Observational
Gum disease, including gingivitis and its more advanced form, periodontitis, is a common condition that damages the tissues supporting the teeth. This study examines how gum disease affects the expression of specific genes and proteins that regulate communication between internal cell structures and the clearance of damaged material. Researchers will collect small gum tissue samples from people with healthy gums, gingivitis, or periodontitis during dental procedures they are already undergoing. These samples will be used to measure the expression levels of the GFI1, NF-κB, and NLRP3 genes/proteins, along with IL-1beta levels. In a separate laboratory experiment, gum cells will be exposed to a substance produced by bacteria commonly associated with gum disease, to observe how these same genes and protein respond. The goal of this study is to better understand the biological changes that occur in gum tissue as gum disease progresses, which may help guide future research into new treatments.
Periodontal disease encompasses a spectrum of inflammatory conditions, from gingivitis to more advanced periodontitis, that progressively damage the tooth-supporting tissues. Although its pathogenesis has been studied extensively, the molecular mechanisms driving the inflammatory response in periodontal tissues are not yet fully understood. Inflammasomes, multiprotein complexes known to regulate inflammatory processes, have been proposed to play a role in this pathogenesis, but the contribution of their regulatory proteins remains unclear. This study investigates the potential role of GFI-1, a regulator of inflammasome activity, in periodontal disease, along with its relationship to NLRP3, IL-1β, and NF-κB, structures known to be involved in inflammasome signaling and inflammatory regulation. The study consists of two complementary components. In the in vitro component, human gingival fibroblast cells will be stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from Porphyromonas gingivalis and/or ATP to model bacterially driven inflammatory activation. Gene expression levels of GFI-1, NLRP3, IL-1β, and NF-κB will be measured using RT-PCR to characterize how these structures respond to bacterial and inflammatory stimuli. In the clinical component, gingival tissue samples will be collected from patients with periodontal disease as well as from periodontally healthy individuals during dental procedures they are already undergoing. Gene and protein expression levels of GFI-1, NLRP3, IL-1β, and NF-κB in these tissues will be assessed using RT-PCR and Western blotting, and IL-1β protein levels will additionally be quantified by ELISA. By comparing findings from the in vitro and clinical components, this study aims to determine whether GFI-1 is dysregulated at the gene and protein level in periodontal disease and to clarify its potential role in disease pathogenesis. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the inflammatory mechanisms underlying periodontal disease and help inform future research into targeted therapeutic approaches.
1,231 studies on the registry are indexed under Periodontitis; 295 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 60 is below the median of 90 across 372 observational studies indexed under Periodontitis.
Browse Periodontitis studies →Inonu University is the lead sponsor of 394 studies on the registry; 95 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Adults aged 18 to 60 years attending the periodontology clinic were enrolled and classified into three groups based on clinical periodontal parameters according to the 2017 World Workshop classification: periodontal health, gingivitis, and periodontitis (Stage III). Exclusion criteria included any systemic disease, regular medication use, smoking, pregnancy or lactation, periodontal treatment within the past 6 months, antibiotic use within the past 6 months, and presence of prosthetic restorations on the teeth to be sampled. A total of 60 participants (20 per group; 30 male, 30 female) were included.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Exclusion criteria for all groups were defined as: presence of any systemic disease, regular use of any medication, smoking, pregnancy or lactation, periodontal treatment within the last 6 months, antibiotic use within the last 6 months, and the presence of prosthetic restorations on the teeth to be sampled
periodontally healthy participants
patients with gingivitis
patients with periodontitis
GFI1, NLRP3, NF-KB, IL-1beta Gene and Protein Expression
Gene expression (RT-PCR, relative fold change via 2\^-ΔΔCT method) and protein expression (Western blot, band intensity normalized to ACTB) of GFI1, NLRP3, NF-KB, IL-1beta were measured and compared in gingival tissue biopsies from participants with periodontal health, gingivitis, and periodontitis
Time frame: January to July 2024
Plan to share: Yes — De-identified individual participant data will be shared, including participant age, sex, and clinical periodontal parameters (plaque index, gingival index, probing depth, clinical attachment level, bleeding on probing). Participants will be identified only by coded/numbered case report forms; no names, gender identity beyond biological sex, or other identifying information will be shared.
Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan
Time frame: Beginning 6 months and ending 24 months following article publication
Access criteria: Data will be made available to researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal, subject to approval by the corresponding author, for the purpose of achieving the aims outlined in the approved proposal.
This study is completed, as verified in Aug 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.