Immunolocalization of 1,25,Dihydroxyvitamin D3 in Aggressive Periodontitis Patients

Aggressive periodontitis (AgP) is an infectious disease of the periodontium which affects young adults, causing damage to the supporting apparatus of the teeth, leading to rapid bone resorption and tooth loss. Its clinical features have been shown to result from several genetic and environmental factors.

This has increased the interest to research those genetic host factors as they may provide useful risk markers, reveal important information regarding the pathogenesis and also identification of effective preventive agents that might help decrease the disease burden.

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3,apart from these traditional calcium-related actions, this active form is being increasingly recognized for its potent anti-proliferative, anti-differentiative and immunomodulatory activities.

The calcitriol activity is largely mediated by the vitamin D receptor (VDR) whose expression has been described in some tissues. VDR is localized in both the cytosol and nucleus and accumulates in the nucleus in response to 1,25,dihydroxyvitamin D3 binding.

Expression and nuclear activation of the VDR are necessary for the effects of vitamin D. Thus, alterations in the vitamin D pathway lead to disturbances in mineral metabolism. It may be hypothesized that the rapid bone loss which occurs in aggressive periodontitis patients may be due to decreased or absence of expression of Vitamin D receptor in the nucleus.