K. Underwood et al., SERUM ANTIBODY OPSONIC ACTIVITY AGAINST ACTINOBACILLUS-ACTINOMYCETEMCOMITANS IN HUMAN PERIODONTAL-DISEASES, The Journal of infectious diseases, 168(6), 1993, pp. 1436-1443
Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is frequently associated with sev
ere periodontitis. Many periodontitis patients have elevated levels of
serum IgG antibodies to A. actinomycetemcomitans, but the role of the
se antibodies is unknown. This study evaluated the functional capacity
of anti-A. actinomycetemcomitans IgG antibody to enhance phagocytosis
of A. actinomycetemcomitans by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Chemolum
inescence assays were done using sera from 64 subjects, 61 of whom had
severe periodontitis; results were compared with the subject's anti-A
. actinomycetemcomitans IgG titer and avidity. There was a strong corr
elation between chemoluminescence and antibody log titer (P < .00001)
and a weak correlation between chemoluminescence and antibody avidity
(P < .05). The results support the hypothesis that anti-A. actinomycet
emcomitans IgG antibodies are important in promoting phagocytosis and
killing of A. actinomycetemcomitans. Subjects who develop high levels
of highly avid antibodies against A. actinomycetemcomitans may have gr
eater resistance to continued or repeated infection by this pathogen.