Inflammatory processes occurring in the vicinity of bone tissue often result in stimulation of osteoclast activity and loss of skeletal mass. The aim of the current study was to determine if inflammatory exudates collected from gingival pockets in patients with periodontitis contain factors capable of stimulating resorptive activity. The degree of bone mineral mobilization and bone matrix degradation was assessed by analysis of the release of 45Ca and 3H from bones prelabelled with 45CaCl2 and [3H]proline, respectively. Gingival crevicular washings from six patients with signs of periodontitis stimulated 45Ca or 3H release from the calvarial bones. The stimulatory effect of the gingival crevicular washings on 45Ca release was concentration- and time-dependent, and reduced by calcitonin, a specific osteoclast inhibitor. These data demonstrate that crevicular fluid contains factor(s) which can stimulate osteoclastic degradation of bone in vitro. The bone resorbing activity was partially retained after extensive dialysis. Analysis of the concentrations of prostaglandin E2, interleukin-1alpha and interleukin-1beta in the crevicular fluids, and comparisons of these agents as stimulators of 45Ca release in the mouse calvarial assay, suggest that prostaglandin E2 is not the sole factor responsible for the bone resorbing activity of the exudates. The data indicate that other factors, such as IL-1, may play key roles in the stimulation of osteoclastic activity by gingival crevicular washings.
