The correlation of periodontal (gum) disease
and cardiac disease and pregnancy issues have been demonstrated
in the past several years. Below is an interesting article about
some current research about periodontal disease and arthritis.
Scorpion venom compound shows promise in treating
bone loss from gum
disease.
A compound found in the venom of scorpions can significantly inhibit
the bone loss resulting from advanced periodontal disease, according
to scientists from The Forsyth Institute.
"We are very excited because this is the first demonstration
that this
type of compound (a potassium channel blocker) may be useful in
treating periodontal disease," said Dr. Martin Taubman, chair
of the
Forsyth Department of Immunology, in whose laboratory the research
was
carried out. "We hope that our findings will lead to success
in
alleviating the bone-ravaging effects of many other diseases."
The Forsyth scientists induced the bone loss component of periodontal
disease in laboratory animals and injected one group with kaliotoxin,
the scorpion venom compound. After ten days, the animals injected
with
kaliotoxin showed 84 percent less alveolar bone loss than a control
group that did not receive the injections, the scientists said.
The kaliotoxin modulates inflammatory bone resorption by blocking
the
protein Kv1.3, a potassium channel known to be involved in
inflammation, according to lead investigator Paloma Valverde,
Ph.D.
"Kaliotoxin decreases the expression of RANKL, a protein
expressed on
the surface of memory/activated T cells, which are present at
high
levels in periodontal disease," Dr. Valverde said in a Forsyth
news
release. RANKL plays a key role in inducing bone cells called
osteoclasts to destroy bone so kaliotoxin or other potassium channel
blockers that target Kv1.3 may reduce bone resorption.
The findings hold promise not only for the treatment of periodontal
disease, which results in loss of bone or teeth in at least
one-quarter of Americans over the age of 30 according to the National
Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, but also for other
inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
"This is the first known study to show that a potassium channel
blocker can decrease alveolar bone loss," Dr. Valverde said.
"Furthermore, we observed no toxic effects. Therefore we
now have a
novel and apparently safe strategy to ameliorate bone destruction
associated with periodontal disease. We expect that kaliotoxin
and
other Kv1.3 blockers can also be used to prevent bone destruction
in
other inflammatory bone resorptive disorders such as osteo- and
rheumatoid- arthritis."
The research was funded by the J.W. Hein Fellowship at The Forsyth
Institute and the NIDCR. Complete findings are published in the
January 2004 issue of Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
