title: Mast cells in human periodontal disease.
abstract: Recently, mast cells have been shown to produce cytokines which can direct the development of T-cell subsets. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship between mast cells and the Th1/Th2 response in human periodontal disease. Tryptase+ mast cell numbers were decreased in chronic periodontitis tissues compared with healthy/gingivitis lesions. Lower numbers of c-kit+ cells, which remained constant regardless of clinical status, indicate that there may be no increased migration of mast cells into periodontal disease lesions. While there were no differences in IgG2+ or IgG4+ cell numbers in healthy/gingivitis samples, there was an increase in IgG4+ cells compared with IgG2+ cells in periodontitis lesions, numbers increasing with disease severity. This suggests a predominance of Th2 cells in periodontitis, although mast cells may not be the source of Th2-inducing cytokines.
authors.affiliation: Oral Biology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia. e.gemmell@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gemmell
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Seymour
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D002465:Cell Movement; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005881:Gingiva / Q000166:cytology; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000032:analysis; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000032:analysis; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000032:analysis; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D053802:Tryptases
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053802:Tryptases