ABNORMAL PROPORTION OF GAMMA-DELTA T-CELLS IN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD IS FREQUENTLY DETECTED IN PATIENTS WITH PERIODONTAL-DISEASE

THE PROPORTIONS OF gamma delta T CELLS IN the peripheral blood of 8 ea rly-onset periodontitis (EOP) patients, 8 later-onset periodontitis (L OP) patients, and of 17 healthy subjects (HS) were assessed by immunof luorescence assay using an anti-pan gamma delta T cell monoclonal anti body (TCR-delta 1) to study the population attributes of peripheral bl ood gamma delta T cells in patients with periodontal disease. The dist ribution of the proportions of gamma delta T cells in both EOP and LOP patients was found to be one and one half times broader than that in the HS; however, there was no significant difference in the proportion of gamma delta T cells between each group. An abnormally high proport ion of peripheral blood gamma delta T cells in pan T cells (>9.90%) wa s observed in 37.5% of both the EOP patients and the LOP patients. An abnormally low proportion (<5.57%) was observed in 50% of the EOP pati ents and in 25% of the LOP patients. The higher occurrences of the hig h or low gamma delta T cell proportions were significant between EOP a nd HS, and between EOP + LOP and HS. There was no correlation between the proportion of gamma delta T cells and age or the clinical paramete rs of periodontal status. It was concluded that an abnormal proportion of gamma delta T cells is frequently detected in patients with period ontal disease. These findings are consistent with the proposed role of the gamma delta T cells for playing a unique role as a first line def ense against infections at body surfaces.