title: Elevated opsonic activity for Porphyromonas (Bacteroides) gingivalis in serum from patients with a history of destructive periodontal disease. A case: control study.
abstract: We have measured the opsonic capacity of serum for the phagocytosis of Porphyromonas (Bacteroides) gingivalis by polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) in 35 patients with a history of destructive periodontitis and 35 matched control subjects. The serum from cases, tested at concentrations of 8% and 0.8% opsonised P. gingivalis for phagocytosis by PMN to a level significantly greater than controls (p < 0.0001 and < 0.01 respectively). IgG antibody levels to P. gingivalis whole cells estimated by ELISA were also significantly higher in the cases (p < 0.0001). The IgG antibody levels correlated significantly with the opsonic capacity of the serum tested at 8% concentration in controls (r = 0.371, p = 0.03) but not in cases (r = 0.235, p = 0.17); in 0.8% serum, the opsonic capacity of the cases and controls were not significantly correlated. Elevated opsonisation by serum was a significant predictor that a subject was a case rather than a control, even after allowing for the effect of elevated IgG antibody in the cases. The data suggest that an elevated capacity of serum to opsonise P. gingivalis is a distinctive feature in patients with past destructive periodontal disease.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Dental Research Unit, London Hospital Medical College, UK.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wilton
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Hurst
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sterne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002452:Cell Count; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D009895:Opsonin Proteins; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D012235:Rhodamines
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D009895:Opsonin Proteins; D012235:Rhodamines; C027755:rhodamine isothiocyanate