title: Oxidative function of neutrophils in periodontitis patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The involvement of reactive oxygen species in periodontal diseases is unclear. The aim of the present study was to explore the oxidative function of neutrophilic leukocytes of the peripheral venous blood in patients with severe periodontitis and type 1 diabetes mellitus and in the control subjects with healthy periodontal tissues and without systemic diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The leukocytes for the present investigation were obtained from peripheral venous blood of 38 patients with severe periodontitis and type 1 diabetes mellitus and 27 control subjects. The maximal luminol-dependent chemiluminescence and peak time values of neutrophils stimulated with non-opsonized Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and Staphylococcus aureus 256 were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The maximal luminol-dependent chemiluminescence of neutrophils in patients with severe periodontitis, stimulated with non-opsonized Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, is mainly lower than that in the control group subjects (p < 0.001). Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence of neutrophils reached its maximal value at the same time in both the diseased and the healthy patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In periodontitis, local non-opsonized bacteria might stimulate neutrophilic leukocytes to release oxygen species. However, these cells in patients with periodontitis are characterized by a lower intensity of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (p < 0.001) compared to analogous findings in people with healthy periodontal tissues. This might indicate insufficient microbicidal activity of these cells in patients with periodontitis.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Dental and Oral Pathology, Kaunas University of Medicine, Eiveniu 2, 50009 Kaunas, Lithuania. irenaned@med.kmu.lt
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sadzeviciene
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zekonis
authors.forename: Gediminas
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zekonis
authors.forename: Pajauta
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paipaliene
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001770:Blood Bactericidal Activity; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D004926:Escherichia coli; D006801:Humans; D049449:Luminescence; D008165:Luminol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D008165:Luminol