GENERALIZED PREPUBERTAL PERIODONTITIS - A REPORT OF 4 CASES WITH THE IMMUNOLOGICAL FINDINGS

The clinical and immunological data from 4 patients with generalized p repubertal periodontitis are presented. The peripheral blood neutrophi l chemotaxis taxis was measured using zymosan activated sera as the ch emoattractant. All of the 4 patients have shown depressed neutrophil c hemotaxis compared to those of the healthy controls. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations were analysed by double-coloured flow cytome try using monoclonal antibodies for the receptors CD2, CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, CD29, CD45RA+, 34,29dK, CD56, CD11b/CD18. Lymphocytes bearing CD 3 receptors showed a significant decrease compared to those of the con trols. Natural killer cells were lowered in 3 of the 4 cases. All of t he patients showed a higher increase in CD11b/CD18 expression. The eva luation of CD11b/CD18 receptor in peripheral blood leukocytes may be o f help explaining the role uf neutrophils in the pathogenesis of the d isease.