Abnormal proportion of gamma delta T cells in peripheral blood is frequently detected in patients with periodontal disease.
The proportions of gamma delta T cells in the peripheral blood of 8 early-onset periodontitis (EOP) patients, 8 later-onset periodontitis (LOP) patients, and of 17 healthy subjects (HS) were assessed by immunofluorescence assay using an anti-pan gamma delta T cell monoclonal antibody (TCR-delta 1) to study the population attributes of peripheral blood gamma delta T cells in patients with periodontal disease. The distribution of the proportions of gamma delta T cells in both EOP and LOP patients was found to be one and one half times broader than that in the HS; however, there was no significant difference in the proportion of gamma delta T cells between each group. An abnormally high proportion of peripheral blood gamma delta T cells in pan T cells (> 9.90%) was observed in 37.5% of both the EOP patients and the LOP patients. An abnormally low proportion (< 5.57%) was observed in 50% of the EOP patients and in 25% of the LOP patients. The higher occurrences of the high or low gamma delta T cell proportions were significant between EOP and HS, and between EOP+LOP and HS. There was no correlation between the proportion of gamma delta T cells and age or the clinical parameters of periodontal status. It was concluded that an abnormal proportion of gamma delta T cells is frequently detected in patients with periodontal disease. These findings are consistent with the proposed role of the gamma delta T cells for playing a unique role as a first line defense against infections at body surfaces.
Nagai
A
A
Department of Periodontology and Endodontology, Okayama University Dental School, Japan.
Takahashi
K
K
Sato
N
N
Matsuo
Y
Y
Minowada
J
J
Kurihara
H
H
Murayama
Y
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000097:blood*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta