Flow-cytometric analysis of lymphocyte subsets and mCD14 expression in patients with various periodontitis categories.
BACKGROUND
Membrane-bound CD14 (mCD14) is expressed mainly on circulating monocytes and tissue macrophages. It is one of the receptors, which act at the recognition of lipopolysaccharides by host cells. Periodontopathic bacteria result in activation of cellular and humoral immune responses.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to analyze the peripheral blood mCD14 concentrations as well as cell surface markers of lymphocyte subsets in periodontitis patients of various categories.


METHODS
Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 22 early onset periodontitis (EOP), 10 adult periodontitis (AP) patients and 13 systemically and periodontally healthy control subjects. Three-color flow cytometry and a panel of relevant monoclonal antibodies were used to determine the percent expression of various cell surface markers on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The results were tested statistically by one-way variance analysis and Newman Keuls test.


RESULTS
No significant difference was observed between the study groups with regard to the relative counts of B-cells, T-cells, T-helper, T-cytotoxic/suppressor, activated T-cells and natural killer cells. EOP patients expressed significantly lower level of interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) when compared with AP patients (6.08% and 19.3% respectively) (p<0.05). The level of mCD14 in EOP patients (7.18%) was lower than that of AP patients (9.3%) and the control subjects (9.2%), but the differences were not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The low level of IL-2R in the EOP group may be interpreted as an insufficient responsiveness to the periodontopathogens, which may be ultimately related with the more severe tissue destruction. Though not significant, the reduced expression of mCD14 in EOP group may also be related with the immune system deficiencies in these patients.
Buduneli
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N
Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey. nurcan@bornova.ege.edu.tr
Biçakçi
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N
Keskinoğlu
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000276:immunology; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2