Detection Of Rankl Positive Cells in Gingival Tissue in Healthy & Chronic Periodontal Disease Patients -A Comparative Study

UNLABELLED: Aim & Objective: The receptor activator of NF-kappa B ligand (RANKL) and its decoy receptor, osteoprotegerin (OPG), are the important proteins implicated in osteoclastogenesis. This study aimed to identify & quantify RANKL positive cells in gingival tissues in healthy & diseased patients & the study looks for immunohistochemical evidence of the expression of the protein in gingival tissue samples. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were randomly selected. Thirty subject each for (test & control). Age range of 25-55y, either sex was selected. Tissue samples were collected from Control - Healthy Gingiva & Test-Chronic Periodontitis Patients. Tissue sections were prepared. An Immunohistochemical analysis was done & cell counting was done for RANKL positive cells. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical staining showed that RANKL-positive cells were significantly distributed in the inflammatory epithelium & connective tissue zone of diseased & non-diseased gingiva. RANKL, positive cells was increased significantly in patients with chronic periodontitis (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings imply that in this comparative study of gingival tissue for, RANKL positive cells, these cells were present in both healthy & chronic periodontitis samples, but number of positive cells present is significantly increased in chronic periodontitis.