Chitotriosidase (CHIT) belongs to the family of glycosylhydrolases and is highly homologous to chitinases from lower organisms. The enzyme CHIT is of interest for clinical reasons, because it is selectively expressed in chronically activated tissue macrophages. In most ethnic groups, approximately 6% of all individuals are homozygous for CHIT deficiency. Pathological tissue macrophages in several disease conditions massively express CHIT. A shared feature of such cells in the different conditions is the accumulation of lipid material in the lysosomal apparatus. Serum CHIT activity is significantly increased in individuals suffering from atherosclerosis disease and is related to the severity of the atherosclerotic lesion, suggesting a possible role as atherosclerotic extent marker. Our objective is to determine the levels of serum CHIT activity in healthy elderly subjects. Healthy 90 (between 65-94 years old) elderly people and 69 (between 20-44 years old) young people were chosen. Serum CHIT enzymatic activity was determined with the flurometric enzyme activity assay using artificial 4-MU substrate. We found CHIT activity 270 +/- 21 (nmol/mL/h) (values are mean +/- SD) in elderly people and 136 +/- 17 in young people. There are statistical differences between elderly and young subjects.
BackgroundPlasma chitotriosidase activity, which is a marker of macrophage activation, has been reported to increase in inflammatory conditions and atherosclerosis. Chronic periodontitis has likely an important role in the development of coronary artery disease. In this study, we aimed to analyze the effect of chronic periodontitis on salivary and plasma chitotriosidase activities in patients with or without coronary atherosclerosis.MethodsFifty subjects were divided into four groups as controls (n=13), periodontitis (n=11), coronary artery disease (n=13), and periodontitis + coronary artery disease (n=13). Plasma and saliva chitotriosidase activities were measured by a fluorimetric method in all groups before the nonsurgical treatment of periodontitis and 5 weeks posttreatment in periodontitis groups.ResultsSalivary chitotriosidase activity was decreased after nonsurgical periodontal treatment in patients having periodontitis with or without coronary atherosclerosis. However, plasma activities remained unchanged.ConclusionAlthough this study has some limitations like small sample size and short study duration, it can suggest that salivary chitotriosidase can have the potential to be used as a very useful and practical marker to evaluate the success of the periodontal treatment and/or host response.Key findingSalivary chitotriosidase can be used as a marker for the evaluation of the success of the periodontal treatment and/or host response.
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