Preliminary validation of serotransferrin and vitamin D binding protein in the gingival crevicular fluid as candidate biomarkers for pubertal growth peak in subjects with Class I and Class II malocclusion.

INTRODUCTION: Identification of pubertal growth peak is of great importance for the orthopedic treatment of Class II malocclusion. Our previous work demonstrated that vitamin D binding protein (DBP) and serotransferrin (TF) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) could be candidate biomarkers of pubertal growth peak. This research aimed to preliminarily validate TF and DBP in subjects with Class I and Class II malocclusion, to compare their diagnostic accuracy, and to construct a statistic model to help the diagnosis of skeletal pubertal peak.

METHODS: Sixty-six circumpubertal subjects were recruited, including 32 subjects with Class I malocclusion and 34 subjects with Class II malocclusion. All subjects were divided into prepubertal, pubertal, and postpubertal groups according to their cervical vertebral maturation stages. GCF samples were collected, and the concentration of DBP and TF were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS: Percentage of TF in GCF was significantly higher in pubertal than in prepubertal and postpubertal groups, in subjects with Class I and Class II malocclusion, whereas the difference observed in DBP was less significant. The diagnostic accuracy of TF was better than DBP and chronological age. The most optimal thresholds of maxillary and mandibular TF in distinguishing pubertal from nonpubertal subjects were 4.20% and 4.09%, respectively. The combination of TF and age exhibited the best diagnostic accuracy.

CONCLUSIONS: TF in GCF could be considered as a potential biomarker of pubertal peak and can assist the diagnosis of skeletal pubertal peak.