UNLABELLED: Porphyromonas gingivalis is generally recognized as a major periodontopathogen such that a study of T cell responses to this organism may help to elucidate immune regulation in periodontal disease. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine interleukin (IL)-4, interferon (IFN)-gamma and IL-10 production by P. gingivalis-responsive T cell lines and clones derived from the peripheral blood of two P. gingivalis-infected subjects with different disease expression and from the gingival tissues of one of the P. gingivalis-infected subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: FACS analysis was used to determine the percentage of T cells staining positive for cytoplasmic IL-4, IFN-gamma and IL-10 and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to determine the presence of mRNA for IL-4 and IFN-gamma in the T cell lines and clones. RESULTS: FACS analysis showed that virtually all the T cell lines and clones contained IL-4- and IFN-gamma-producing T cells. The RT-PCR results generally supported this trend. However, a higher percentage of cells in the clones derived from one subject produced IL-4 while a lower percentage produced IFN-gamma compared with the clones derived from the other subject. FACS analysis also demonstrated that the lines and clones derived from the two subjects showed differences in IL-10 production. CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated that there may be differences in IL-4 and IL-10 production by the P. gingivalis responsive lines and clones derived from P. gingivalis-infected subjects with different disease expression. Any relationship to disease however, remains to be determined.
UNLABELLED: Porphyromonas gingivalis is generally recognized as a major periodontopathogen such that a study of T cell responses to this organism may help to elucidate immune regulation in periodontal disease. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine interleukin (IL)-4, interferon (IFN)-gamma and IL-10 production by P. gingivalis-responsive T cell lines and clones derived from the peripheral blood of two P. gingivalis-infected subjects with different disease expression and from the gingival tissues of one of the P. gingivalis-infected subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: FACS analysis was used to determine the percentage of T cells staining positive for cytoplasmic IL-4, IFN-gamma and IL-10 and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to determine the presence of mRNA for IL-4 and IFN-gamma in the T cell lines and clones. RESULTS: FACS analysis showed that virtually all the T cell lines and clones contained IL-4- and IFN-gamma-producing T cells. The RT-PCR results generally supported this trend. However, a higher percentage of cells in the clones derived from one subject produced IL-4 while a lower percentage produced IFN-gamma compared with the clones derived from the other subject. FACS analysis also demonstrated that the lines and clones derived from the two subjects showed differences in IL-10 production. CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated that there may be differences in IL-4 and IL-10 production by the P. gingivalis responsive lines and clones derived from P. gingivalis-infected subjects with different disease expression. Any relationship to disease however, remains to be determined.