Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the blastogenic responses of gingival lymphocytes stimulated by phytohemagglutinin (PHA), Concanavalin A (Con A) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) following experimental periodontitis in dogs. And then, their differences among the gingival lymphocyte peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) and submandibular node lymphocyte (SNL) were examined.
After establishment of ligature-induced periodontitis in seven dogs, gingival lymphocyte, PBL and SNL were isolated by collagenase treatment and Ficoll-gradient procedure. The cell populations were examined by Giemsa staining and the lymphoproliferative responses were determined by the uptake of 3H-thymidine.
80.3% lymphocytes and 3.6% macrophages were occupied in the cell population obtained from the gingival tissues. Viability of the gingival lymphocytes was 77%. The mean count per minute (CPM) and standard error of the gingival lymphocytes, PBL and SNL of unstimulated culture were 399±107, 864±127, 758±204, respectively. The responses of PBL and SNL to PHA, Con A and PWM were remarkably high and peak responses were obtained at days 2 or 3 of culture. On the other hand, the response of gingival lymphocytes stimulated with mitogen was low and almost equal to the level of unstimulated lymphocytes. The peak activity of gingival lymphocytes was shown at day one of culture.
It is suggested that the response of gingival lymphocytes is not parallel to PBL or SNL and blastogenic activity of gingival lymphocytes unstimulated and stimulated with mitogens is low.
