Blastogenic Responses by Lymphocytes from Periodontally Healthy Populations Induced by Periodontitis‐Associated Bacteria

Abstract

Studies of blastogenic responsiveness induced in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from periodontally healthy subjects by periodontal bacteria have conflicted. This study was undertaken to examine the blastogenic response of periodontally healthy subjects under experimental conditions which provide improved control of laboratory variables. By using cryopreserved PBL the responses of all subjects in an experiment were determined on the same day under identical conditions. The periodontally healthy populations consisted of subjects of the same age range and sex matched to three distinct groups of periodontally diseased subjects (i.e., juvenile (JP), severe (SP), and moderate (MP) periodontitis). The bacterial stimulants tested were chosen on the basis of known association with and isolation from persons fitting the disease classifications. If PBL response differences between periodontally healthy and diseased subjects exist they should be most obvious in response to predominant organisms associated with the disease states. PBL cultures were harvested after a 4 hour pulse with 3H‐thymidine on days 4 and 6 of culture. Three separate experiments were conducted comparing one healthy group and one diseased group. In all three experiments subjects in the healthy group responded as frequently as did those in the diseased group, the dose‐response distribution was indistinguishable, and the magnitude of the responses was not substantially different between groups. These results suggest nonspecific activation as the major determinant in the blastogenic response, rather than specific sensitization occurring during initiation or progression of periodontitis.

A Novel Factor Isolated fromActinobacillus actinomycetemcomitansStimulates Mouse B Cells and Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

“…These alterations may affect local lymphocyte proliferation and function, and may contribute to increased susceptibility to disease in certain individuals. Many authors have reported that lymphoblastic responses are induced by bacterial antigens in patients with gingivitis and periodontitis (3,9,10,12,14,19,21,28). In our present studies, we found that A. actinomycetemcomitans produced a proteinaceous ISTF.…”

Th1 and Th2 cytokine profile in patients with early onset periodontitis and their healthy siblings

“…1 ,2 How e ver, some individuals harbour the se spe cific bacteria but do not appear to show e videnc e of disease progression. 5 -7 The signific anc e of the de ntal plaque bacteria on p olyclonal B lymphocyte activation w as re ally only studied late r. 7,8 Results show ed that both spe cific and non-spe cific mechanisms of B lymphoc yte activation can p lay a role in the pathogene sis of pe riodontal disease and that the y can be highly influe nce d by the tre atment. 3 Immunological me chanisms have be en implicate d in the pathoge nesis of periodontal disease for over 30 ye ars.…”

Invited Review: Possible Mechanisms Involved in the Immunoregulation of Chronic Inflammatory Periodontal Disease

“…A number of in vitro studies using peripheral blood cells have supported the concept of polyclonal B-cell activation (PBA) being important in the pathogenesis of progressive disease (Engel et al, 1977;Bick et al, 1981;Donaldson et al, 1982), while other studies (Stashenko et al, 1983) have suggested a protective role for T-cell-mediated mechanisms.…”