Most of these proteins associated with either bone loss or deep pockets have previously been related to periodontitis, such as increased concentrations of HGF and OSM in serum from periodontitis patients20 21 and upregulation of IL-18R1, CCL20 and CCL23 in monocytes stimulated by Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide.22 23 More importantly, most of them have also been associated with increased risk of CVD,24–27 which suggests they might be part of the pathophysiologic mechanisms explaining the increased risk of MI in periodontitis. The gene discussed is HGF; the disease is myocardial infarction.