M.W. Roomi, V. Ivanov, A. Niedzwiecki, M. Rath
Matthias Rath Research., Cancer Research Division, Santa Clara, CA 95050
Presented at:
XXVIII Scientific Meeting of the South African Division of the International Association for Dental Research, Pretoria, South Africa, September 2-3, 2004
Published in:
Conference proceedings, Abstract #37, pg 42
Comment
Gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease, affects three out of four adults over the age of 35. Left untreated, it progresses to periodontitis, an advanced stage of gum disease characterized by additional destruction of gum tissue and progression to the bone. MMPs play a critical role in this process as, in concert, they degrade the majority of the extracellular matrix components. We studied the effect of a combination (NM) of ascorbic acid, lysine, proline, and green tea extract on expression of MMPs by gingival fibroblasts in cell culture. NM significantly inhibited MMP-2 expression and invasion through Matrigel, suggesting NM has great potential as a therapeutic tool in prevention and treatment of gingivitis and its sequelae.