GINGIVAL LANGERHANS CELLS IN TYPE-I DIABETES-MELLITUS

LANGERKANS' CELLS (LCS) ARE INTRAEPITHELIAL immunocompetent cells. Cha nges in the number of LCs occur in inflammatory and autoimmune disease s. In this study, the number of gingival LCs in patients with type I d iabetes mellitus was compared with those of normal individuals using i mmunohistochemical methods. Gingival biopsies were obtained from 20 ty pe I diabetics and 10 healthy individuals. Anti-CD1 positive LCs forme d an intraepithelial network and showed a marked increase in type I di abetics. This increase was not related to diabetic age. The number of LCs was proportional to the density of subepithelial inflammatory cell s. Our findings suggest that LCs may play a role in the development of diabetic gingivitis.