title: Increased periodontal bone loss in temporarily B lymphocyte-deficient rats.
abstract: In order to study the role of T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes in the development of marginal periodontitis, experiments were performed on specific-pathogen-free (SPF) rats with various immunologic profiles. The study comprised nude (congenitally T lymphocyte-deficient), thymus-grafted nude (T-lymphocyte reconstituted), anti-mu treated (temporarily B lymphocyte-deficient), and normal rats. When they were 5 to 9 weeks old, some of the rats were inoculated with Actinomyces viscosus. Bacteroides gingivalis and a strain of oral spirochetes; 90 days later they were killed. A. viscosus and B. gingivalis colonized readily, but the spirochete strain could not be established permanently in the oral cavity of the rats, 95% of the inoculated rats raised serum IgG or IgM antibody against one or more of the microorganisms; nude rats tended to raise less antibody than the three other experimental groups. Inoculated rats had significantly less periodontal bone support than controls. Anti-mu treated inoculated rats had significantly less periodontal bone support than nude and normal rats, whereas no difference was found between normal, nude, and thymus-grafted rats. It is concluded that permanent T-lymphocyte deficiency did not interfere with the development of periodontal disease in this model, whereas a temporary and moderate reduction in B-lymphocyte numbers seemed to predispose for aggravation of periodontal bone loss.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Klausen
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hougen
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Fiehn
mesh_terms: D000190:Actinomyces / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011923:Rats, Nude; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013144:Spirochaetales / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000637:transplantation
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M