IgG sera levels against a subset of periodontopathogens and severity of disease in aggressive periodontitis patients: a cross-sectional study of selected pocket sites.

AIMS: To evaluate the association among serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses to Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) serotypes a, b and c, Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg), Tannerella forsythia (Tf) and clinical parameters in Aggressive Periodontitis (AP) subjects. Associations between periodontal pathogens and clinical and immunological parameters were also evaluated. METHODS: Thirty-eight subjects diagnosed with generalized AP (GAP) and localized AP (LAP) were included. Ten healthy controls were also evaluated. Clinical parameters were assessed and percentages of subgingival levels of Aa, Pg and Tf (beyond bacterial load), were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Serum IgG antibody levels against Aa, Pg and Tf were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Percentages of Aa, Pg and Tf were significantly higher in AP than in controls. The response to Aa serotype c was higher in LAP subjects than in controls. There were no differences in microbial composition or antibodies responses between GAP and LAP, except for IgG response to Tf. Pg levels were correlated with probing depth (PD), BoP and CAL in GAP but not in LAP subjects. Tf levels correlated with PD and CAL in GAP subjects. In GAP, the infection levels of Aa and Pg correlated with the corresponding IgG levels to Aa serotype c and Pg. CONCLUSION: Given the evidences that IgG response in AP patients correlated with bacterial infection level in GAP, but not in LAP, and that LAP patients lack a response to Tf, despite harbouring this species, our data suggest a difference in host immune defence between these two forms of aggressive periodontitis.

Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola and toll-like receptor 2 are associated with hypertensive disorders in placental tissue: a case-control study.

AIM(S): To explore the associations between the presence of periodontal pathogens and the expression of toll-like receptors (TLR-2 and TLR-4) in the placental tissue of patients with hypertensive disorders compared to the placentas of healthy normotensive patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A case-control study was performed. From a cohort composed of 126 pregnant women, 33 normotensive healthy pregnant women were randomly selected, and 25 cases of patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia, were selected. Placental biopsy was obtained after aseptic placental collection at the time of delivery. All of the samples were processed and analysed for the detection of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Treponema denticola and Tannerella forsythia using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Determination of the expressions of TLR-2 and TLR-4 was performed in samples of total purified protein isolated from placental tissues and analysed by ELISA. The data were assessed using descriptive statistics. The associations among variables were estimated through multiple logistic regression models and the Mann-Whitney test to evaluate the differences between the two groups. RESULTS: A significant increase was observed in the expression of TLR-2 in the placentas of patients with hypertensive disorders (p = 0.04). Additionally, the multiple logistic regression models demonstrated an association between the presence of T. denticola and P. gingivalis in placental tissues and hypertensive disorders (OR: 9.39, p = 0.001, CI 95% 2.39-36.88 and OR: 7.59, p = 0.019, CI 95% 1.39-41.51, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, pregnant women with periodontal disease presented an association in the placental tissue between the presence of T. denticola and P. gingivalis and hypertensive disorders. Additionally, increased expression of TLR-2 was observed. However, further studies are required to determine the specific roles of periodontal pathogens and TLRs in the placental tissue of patients with pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders.

Relationship of neutrophil phagocytosis and oxidative burst with the subgingival microbiota of generalized aggressive periodontitis.

INTRODUCTION: Polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) dysfunctions have been associated with severe forms of periodontitis. This study evaluated the correlation between PMN phagocytosis and oxidative burst with the subgingival microbiota of patients with generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAgP). METHODS: Heparinized peripheral blood samples were obtained from 18 GAgP patients and 11 periodontally healthy (PH) subjects, and PMNs were isolated on a Ficoll-Hypaque gradient. For phagocytosis analysis, PMNs were incubated with fluorescein-labeled Staphylococcus aureus. The oxidative burst was evaluated by incubation of PMNs with dihydroethidium and activation by S. aureus. The assays were examined using flow cytometry. Subgingival biofilm samples were obtained from periodontal sites with and without periodontitis and 24 species were detected by checkerboard. RESULTS: A significantly lower phagocytosis rate was observed for patients with GAgP compared with PH subjects over time (P < 0.05). No differences between groups were found for superoxide production. GAgP patients presented significantly higher prevalence and levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans serotype b than controls (P < 0.05). Significant negative correlations between T. forsythia and P. gingivalis and PMN functions were observed. CONCLUSIONS: GAgP subjects presented diminished phagocytic activity of peripheral PMNs and high prevalence and levels of classical periodontal pathogens.

Detecçäo de anticorpos IgG para Porphyromonas gingivalis (Bacteroides gingivalis) e Prevotella intermedia (Bacteroides intermedius) em lesöes periapicais crônicas pela técnica de imunofluorescência indireta / Detection of IgG antibodies to Porphyromonas gingivalis (Bacteroides gingivalis) and Prevotella intermedia (Bacteroides intermedius) in chronic periapical lesions by immunofluorescence

Lesöes periapicais crônicas foram avaliadas pela técnica de imunofluorescência indireta com o propósito de estimar a presença de anticorpos IgG específicos para o Bacteroides gingivalis e Bacteroides intermedius. Das 15 amostras examinadas, 7 (46,6 por cento) apresentaram reatividade anticórpica

Pesquisa de antígenos do Bacteroides intermedius na gengiva de portadores de gengivite e periodontite / Research of Bacteroides intermedius antigens in gingiva of patients with gingivitis and periodontitis

Pesquisou-se a presença de antígenos solúveis do Bacteroides intermedius no tecido gengival de 14 pacientes clínica e radiograficamente diagnosticados como portadores de gengivite e periodontite. Aplicando a técnica de imunofluorescência indireta em cortes de tecidos obtidos a partir de biópsias processadas pela técnica de Sainte-Marie, observaram-se traços sugestivos de fluorescência, indicativos da presença de antígenos, ao nível do tecido epitelial e conjuntivo