Fig. 6.

MMP-2 immunohistochemistry of murine periodontal tissues. a Representative images of the MMP-2 staining control group (Control), Fig. 6i, v, ix, and xii showed that periodontal tissues are slightly positive for MMP-2 staining in polymorphonuclear cells, plasma cells, and some macrophages. The pattern of expression was cytoplasmatic with rare nuclear staining in positive cells. A similar expression pattern was observed in the group with Omega-3 supplementation (O3). Stronger staining was observed in the Periodontitis group (P), with a more robust reaction near the P. gingivitis-infected ligature site, Fig. 6iii, vii, xi, and xv. Mild staining was observed in the epithelium and in the inflammatory cells of the periodontitis-induced group with Omega-3 supplementation (P + O3), Fig. 6iv, viii, xii, and xvi. Occasionally, enlarged fibroblast-, endothelial-, and osteoclast-like cells were also positive for the MMP-2 antibody (red arrows) near the areas with bone (B) destruction. A higher staining density was observed in the P + O3 group; however, there was no difference in expression between the Omega-3 and Control groups. b Graphic representation of the staining intensity and the percentage of the positive area of all examined groups stained with the MMP-2 antibody. A: (*) ligature region, (T) tooth, (B) bone, (E) epithelium. (Fig. 6i–iv) magnification 10 × , scale bar 200 µm; (Fig. 6v–viii) magnification 20 × , scale bar 100 µm; (Fig. 6ix–xvi) magnification 40 × , scale bar 20 µm. B: The bracket indicates the p value of the ordinary-one-way ANOVA test, the graphs represent the mean and standard error of the mean