The proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β plays an important role in antifungal immunity; however, the mechanisms by which fungal pathogens trigger IL-1β secretion are unclear. In this study we show that infection with Candida albicans is sensed by the Nlrp3 inflammasome, resulting in the subsequent release of IL-1β. The ability of C. albicans to switch from a unicellular yeast form into a filamentous form is essential for activation of the Nlrp3 inflammasome, as C. albicans mutants incapable of forming hyphae were defective in their ability to induce macrophage IL- 1β secretion. Nlrp3-deficient mice also demonstrated increased susceptibility to infection with C. albicans, which is consistent with a key role for Nlrp3 in innate immune responses to the pathogen C. albicans.

Human ␤-defensins 2 and 3 (HBD-2 and HBD-3) are inducible peptides present at sites of infection in the oral cavity. A few studies have reported broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity for both peptides. However, no comprehensive study has thoroughly investigated their potential against oral pathogens. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of HBD-2 and HBD-3 against a collection of oral organisms (Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Peptostreptococcus micros, Actinomyces naeslundii, Actinomyces israelii, Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mutans, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei, Candida glabrata, and Candida albicans). Radial diffusion assays were used to test HBD-2 and HBD-3 activities against at least three strains of each species. There was significant variability in MICs, which was strain specific rather than species specific. MICs ranged from 3.9 to >250 g/ml for HBD-2 and from 1.4 to >250 g/ml for HBD-3. HBD-3 demonstrated greater antimicrobial activity and was effective against a broader array of organisms. Overall, aerobes were 100% susceptible to HBD-2 and HBD-3, whereas only 21.4 and 50% of the anaerobes were susceptible to HBD-2 and HBD-3, respectively. HBD-2 and HBD-3 also demonstrated strain-specific activity against the Candida species evaluated. Interestingly, an association between HBD-2 and HBD-3 activities was noted. This suggests that the two peptides may have similar mechanisms yet utilize distinct pathways. The lack of activity against specific anaerobic strains and Candida warrants further investigation of the potential resistance mechanisms of these organisms. Finally, the significant variability between strains underlies the importance of testing multiple strains when evaluating activities of antimicrobial peptides.

Aim-The aim of this study was to compare the expression of 22 chemokines and cytokines in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) from smokers and non-smokers with periodontitis and periodontally healthy control subjects.Materials and Methods-Forty subjects with generalized severe chronic periodontitis (20 smokers and 20 non-smokers) and 12 periodontally healthy control subjects participated in this study. Four diseased and 2 healthy sites were selected from each of the periodontitis subjects. GCF samples were collected and cytokines analyzed utilizing a multiplexed immunoassay (Luminex®). Statistical analyses employed non-parametric tests including the Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank tests.

Background and Objective-Cytokines and chemokines play an important role in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases. The objective of this study was to quantitatively assess the effect of initial periodontal therapy on gingival crevicular fluid levels of a comprehensive panel of cytokines and chemokines, including several less extensively studied mediators.