title: Oral polymorphonuclear neutrophil characteristics in relation to oral health: a cross-sectional, observational clinical study.
abstract: Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) have a major role in the innate immune system. However, little is known about PMN contribution in relation to oral health. The objective of this study was to investigate the numbers and functional characteristics of oral PMNs (oPMNs) compared with circulatory PMNs (cPMNs). Oral rinse and venous blood samples were obtained from 268 systemically and orally healthy volunteers in a cross-sectional observational study. PMN counts, cell cycle analysis and cellular activation state were investigated. Also, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was analyzed, with and without bacterial stimulation (Fusobacterium nucleatum). In males, 1.2 × 10(6)±1.0 × 10(6) oPMNs were collected, and showed a tendency to correlate with the levels of gingival bleeding (r=0.215, P=0.008). Comparable oPMNs counts were found among females (1.0 × 10(6)±0.7 × 10(6)). More late-stage apoptotic/necrotic cells were found among the oPMNs (53.1%) compared with the cPMNs (8.5%; P<0.001). Without additional stimulation, oPMNs were more activated than cPMNs, as indicated by higher expression of CD11b, CD63 and CD66b, and higher constitutive ROS levels (P<0.001). Notably, in response to bacterial stimulation, oPMNs released comparable ROS levels as cPMNs (P=0.042). In conclusion, this study provides data on viable oPMNs showing high levels of activation in orally and systemically healthy individuals, free of apparent caries lesions and periodontal disease. These data suggests that although the oPMNs are in a more mature stage of their life cycle compared with the cPMNs, oPMNs are still responsive to stimulation, which indicates their functional potential and possible contribution to a healthy oral ecosystem.
authors: Department of Periodontology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Rijkschroeff
authors: Department of Periodontology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Ineke D C
authors: ID
authors: Jansen
authors: Department of Periodontology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Fridus A
authors: FA
authors: van der Weijden
authors: Department of Preventive Dentistry, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.|Microbiology and Systems Biology, TNO Earth, Environmental and Life Sciences, Zeist, The Netherlands.|Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Bart J F
authors: BJ
authors: Keijser
authors: Department of Periodontology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Bruno G
authors: BG
authors: Loos
authors: Department of Periodontology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Elena A
authors: EA
authors: Nicu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils; D009909:Oral Health; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species