title: Human Memory B Cells in Healthy Gingiva, Gingivitis, and Periodontitis.
abstract: The presence of inflammatory infiltrates with B cells, specifically plasma cells, is the hallmark of periodontitis lesions. The composition of these infiltrates in various stages of homeostasis and disease development is not well documented. Human tissue biopsies from sites with gingival health (n = 29), gingivitis (n = 8), and periodontitis (n = 21) as well as gingival tissue after treated periodontitis (n = 6) were obtained and analyzed for their composition of B cell subsets. Ag specificity, Ig secretion, and expression of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand and granzyme B were performed. Although most of the B cell subsets in healthy gingiva and gingivitis tissues were CD19(+)CD27(+)CD38(-) memory B cells, the major B cell component in periodontitis was CD19(+)CD27(+)CD38(+)CD138(+)HLA-DR(low) plasma cells, not plasmablasts. Plasma cell aggregates were observed at the base of the periodontal pocket and scattered throughout the gingiva, especially apically toward the advancing front of the lesion. High expression of CXCL12, a proliferation-inducing ligand, B cell-activating factor, IL-10, IL-6, and IL-21 molecules involved in local B cell responses was detected in both gingivitis and periodontitis tissues. Periodontitis tissue plasma cells mainly secreted IgG specific to periodontal pathogens and also expressed receptor activator of NF-κB ligand, a bone resorption cytokine. Memory B cells resided in the connective tissue subjacent to the junctional epithelium in healthy gingiva. This suggested a role of memory B cells in maintaining periodontal homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Immunology Laboratory, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; r_mahanonda@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Rangsini
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mahanonda
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
authors.forename: Chantrakorn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Champaiboon
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
authors.forename: Keskanya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Subbalekha
authors.affiliation: Immunology Laboratory, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
authors.forename: Noppadol
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sa-Ard-Iam
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
authors.forename: Warattaya
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0024-7287
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rattanathammatada
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
authors.forename: Saranya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thawanaphong
authors.affiliation: Immunology Laboratory, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
authors.forename: Pimprapa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rerkyen
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Dentistry, Aichi Gakuin University, Nagoya 464-8650, Japan; and.
authors.forename: Fuminobu
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7740-0366
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Dentistry, Aichi Gakuin University, Nagoya 464-8650, Japan; and.
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3587-7606
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, University of Berne, Berne 3012, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Niklaus P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.affiliation: Immunology Laboratory, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
authors.forename: Sathit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pichyangkul
mesh_terms: D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D058501:Enzyme-Linked Immunospot Assay; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005881:Gingiva / Q000276:immunology*; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007156:Immunologic Memory / Q000276:immunology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000276:immunology*; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction