Salivary Irisin: Potential Inflammatory Biomarker in Recurrent Apthous Stomatitis Patients

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) is the most common inflammatory condition of the oral mucosa characterised by recurrent onset of single or multiple painful ulcers mainly affecting the nonkeratinized oral mucosa. RAS mostly occurs in healthy individuals with no associated systemic diseases. Irisin is a newly identified adipomyokine and research has revealed that it has anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of salivary irisin levels in patients with recurrent apthous stomatitis (RAS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this investigation, 80 individuals were evaluated. The patient group included 30 patients diagnosed with RAS and each control group consisted of 25 smoker and non-smoker healthy individuals. Saliva samples were collected and salivary irisin, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IF-gamma) levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: IL-2 and IF-gamma levels in RAS patients were significantly higher than control smoker and non-smoker groups (p=0.0001, p=0.0001, respectively). Irisin level was higher in RAS patients than smoker controls and non-smoker controls. The level of irisin was found as sensitive and specific as IL-2 and more sensitive and specific than IF-gamma. The salivary levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-2, IF-gamma and irisin were higher in RAS group compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report evaluating the irisin an adipo-myokine as an inflammatory biomarker in RAS.