Migration and metabolic activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils in patients with localized juvenile periodontitis

Abstract

Localized Juvenile periodontitis (LJP) is characterized by a rapid loss of connective tissue insertion and of alveolar bone around the first molars and incisors of the permanent teeth. This research was carried out in order to establish a relationship between in vitro behavior of PMN and the different clinical types of the disease. Twenty-one patients were studied; they included incipient, moderate and advanced LJP. Before any kind of dental treatment was applied PMN were isolated from each patient to determine their chemotaxis under agarose and their metabolic activity (luminoidependent- chemiluminescence, LDCL). A group of healthy control individuals was similarly studied.

Patients with advanced LJP had significantly lower chemotaxis (p=0.023); on the other hand, LDCL of phorbol-myristate-acetate stimulated PMN was normalin the three groups as compared with controls; PMN stimulation with opsonized zimosan revealed significantly decreased metabolic activity in patients with incipient and advanced disease (p=0.012). These findings indicate that patients with LJP behave as a heterogeneous group regarding PMN function. In order to define PMN response in each type of this disease It Is necessary to study the relationship between genetic components, environment and clinical phenotypes of the disease.