Phenotypical and functional analysis of T cells in periodontitis.
To explore aspects of cellular immune responses in the pathogenesis of periodontitis we analyzed phenotype and function of peripheral T cells. Two groups of subjects participated: one group consisted of 10 highly susceptible patients with severe periodontitis (mean age 29 years) and a control group consisted of 10 age, gender and race matched subjects with gingivitis. From all subjects peripheral blood was collected. The results showed that the numbers of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells as well as the CD4/CD8 ratio, and the proliferative capacity of T cells, were not different between the two groups of subjects. Also, proportions of naive and memory T cells for both the CD4+ and CD8+ subpopulations were not different. Functional heterogeneity within the CD4+ and CD8+ T cell compartments was determined by intracellular analysis of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) production. On the basis of these latter analyses among CD4+ and CD8+ cells, T helper (Th) 1 or Th2 function and T cytotoxic (Tc) 1 or Tc2 function, respectively, could be deduced. No significant differences in proportions of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells positive for intracellular IFN-gamma or IL-4 were observed between periodontitis patients and gingivitis controls; however a higher level of intracellular IL-4 in CD8+ T cells was seen in periodontitis patients. This might indicate that there is a shift towards a Tc2 function within the CD8+ T cell subpopulation. The current explorative study suggests that further research into the role of CD8+ T cells in the pathogenesis of periodontitis is warranted.
Petit
M D
MD
Department of Periodontology, Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), The Netherlands.
Hovenkamp
E
E
Hamann
D
D
Roos
M T
MT
van der Velden
U
U
Miedema
F
F
Loos
B G
BG
D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002455:Cell Division; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D015847:Interleukin-4