A synergistic effect of the production of IL-8 could be induced in HGFs with the combination of high glucose, LPS and AGEs.

Cyclosporine A inhibits the expression of membrane type-I MMP in gingiva and it may further reduce the activation of MMP-2.

The increases in cyclin D1, PCNA and CDK4, together with the enhanced phosphorylation of Rb1, suggest that cyclosporine A promotes cell-cycle progression through the G(1)/S transition in the gingiva.

Based on the present findings, we suggest that: (1) CsA upregulates the gingival expression of ET-1 and its receptors; and (2) ET(A) and ET(B) have different bioactivities, ET(A) being involved in cell proliferation and ET(B) being associated with iNOS expression.