Gaspersic_2025_Chem.Biol.Interact_15ChEPon_423_111836

This pilot study evaluated total esterase activity and PON-1 activity in unstimulated and stimulated saliva of periodontitis patients and healthy subjects focusing on relation to clinical data, salivary flow rate, pH, total protein concentration, albumin concentration and active matrix metalloproteinase 8 (aMMP-8) concentration. Healthy participants (n = 20) and periodontitis patients (n = 32) were recruited. Clinical data was recorded, both unstimulated and stimulated saliva samples were collected, and salivary flow rates were determined for each participant. The concentrations of albumin and aMMP-8 were determined with ELISA and ORALyzer, respectively. Total protein concentration, total esterase activity, and PON-1 activity were determined spectrophotometrically. Kinetic data was analyzed with iFIT software. Albumin levels were higher in periodontitis patients compared to healthy controls. While there are no significant differences in the total esterase and PON-1 activities between periodontitis patients and healthy controls, the limiting rate V(MAX) value showed significant differences but in the Michaelis constant K(M) value only in stimulated saliva samples. The distribution of aMMP-8 levels above and below the detection limit of 20 ng/mL showed elevated values mainly in periodontitis patients, and this difference was more apparent in stimulated saliva samples. For each parameter assessed in this study, stimulated saliva exhibited greater differences between groups, than unstimulated saliva. The kinetic parameter V(MAX), total esterase activity (using the substrate phenyl acetate), and PON-1 activity (using the substrate paraoxon) can present potential markers for periodontitis.