Chemerin as a Novel Crevicular Fluid Marker of Patients With Periodontitis and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: The objectives of the present study are to: 1) determine whether gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) chemerin is a novel predictive marker for patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (t2DM); 2) analyze the relationship between chemerin and interleukin (IL)-6 in periodontally healthy individuals and in patients with CP and with and without t2DM; and 3) evaluate the effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on GCF chemerin levels. Methods: Eighty individuals were split into four groups: 20 who were systemically and periodontally healthy (CTRL), 20 with t2DM and periodontally healthy (DM-CTRL), 20 systemically healthy with CP (CP), and 20 with CP and t2DM (DM-CP). Individuals with periodontitis were treated with non-surgical periodontal therapy. GCF sampling procedures and clinical periodontal measures were performed before and 6 weeks after treatment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure chemerin and IL-6 levels. Results: Greater values for GCF chemerin and IL-6 levels were found in CP groups than in periodontally healthy groups, in DM-CP than in CP, and in DM-CTRL than in CTRL (P < 0.008). GCF chemerin and IL-6 levels decreased following therapy in CP groups (P < 0.02). A comprehensive overview of all groups showed a statistically significant positive correlation of chemerin with IL-6, glycated hemoglobin, sampled-site clinical attachment level, and gingival index (P < 0.05). Conclusions: In this study, periodontitis and t2DM induced aberrant secretion of chemerin, and non-surgical periodontal therapy influenced the decrease of GCF chemerin levels in patients with CP with and without t2DM. Furthermore, it suggests GCF chemerin levels may be considered a potential pro-inflammatory marker for diabetes, periodontal disease, and treatment outcomes.