Neutrophil Functions in Patients with Severe Periodontal Disease

Abstract

Recently several investigators have reported that neutrophil functions were depressed or defective in localized and generalized juvenile periodontitis. It has also been shown that patients with adult periodontitis exhibit no such abnormalities. Concerning rapidly progressing periodontitis, only a few reports have been provided. The purpose of the present study was to compare various neutrophil functions in patients with rapidly progressing periodontitis (RPP), generalized adult periodontitis (AP), and in periodontally healthy or control subjects.

Neutrophils and monocytes were obtained from heparinized peripheral blood of 13 RPP, 16 AP, and 18 control subjects. Cells were isolated by Percoll® discontinuous density gradient centrifugation. Neutrophil phagocytosis was examined by use of FITC-labeled bacteria, and the number of EA rosette-forming cells was determined. Random migration and chemotaxis of neutrophils and monocytes were evaluated with the Boyden chamber. In addition, opsonizing activity of plasma, effects of plasma on phagocytosis and chemotaxis, and lysosomal enzyme secretion were also determined.

Neutrophil phagocytosis was markedly depressed in RPP compared with AP and those with normal periodontal tissue. The number of phagocytizing neutrophils was decreased and seemed to be correlated with the number of EA rosette-forming cells. Random migration and chemotaxis of neutrophils and monocytes were not significantly different among these three study groups. No differences in other neutrophil functions could be found.

From these results, it was clear that neutrophil phagocytosis in RPP patients was depressed. These results suggest that neutrophil abnormalities may lead to decreased resistance to periodontal infections in adults with rapidly progressing forms of periodontal disease.