ovalbumin and Periodontal-Diseases

The severity of periodontal disease is dependent on a combination of host, microbial agent and environmental factors. One strong correlate related to periodontal disease pathogenesis is the immune status of the host. Here we show that human neutrophil peptide (HNP) defensins or human beta-defensins (HBD), co-administered intranasally with the antigen ovalbumin (OVA), induce unique immune responses that if used with microbial antigens may have the potential to hinder the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. C57BL/6 mice were immunized intranasally with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) containing 1 micro g HNP-1, HNP-2, HBD1 or HBD2 with and without 50 microg OVA. At 21 days, isotypes and subclasses of OVA-specific antibodies were determined in saliva, serum, nasal wash, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and fecal extracts. OVA-stimulated splenic lymphoid cell cultures from immunized mice were assessed for interferon (IFN)-gamma, Interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10. In comparison with mice immunized with only OVA, HNP-1 and HBD2 induced significantly higher (P < 0.05) OVA-specific serum IgG, lower, but not significant, serum IgM and significantly lower (P < 0.05) IFN-gamma. In contrast, HNP-2 induced low OVA-specific serum IgG and higher, but not significant, serum IgM. HBD1 induced significantly higher (P < 0.05) OVA-specific serum IgG, higher, but not significant, serum IgM, and significantly higher (P < 0.05) IL-10. The elevated serum IgG subclasses contained IgG1 and IgG2b.

Topics: Adjuvants, Immunologic; alpha-Defensins; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Antibodies; beta-Defensins; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Defensins; Feces; Female; Humans; Immunity, Active; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Interferon-gamma; Interleukins; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred Strains; Ovalbumin; Periodontal Diseases; Saliva

Experiments were performed to determine the role of the immune response in rat periodontal disease. Germ-free rats were fed defined antigen-free liquid diets or a diet containing ovalbumin(OVA) as a prototype antigen. The OVA-fed rats demonstrated increased gingival lymphocytes (mainly T at early times), OVA-sensitized spleen cells, and increased periodontal bone loss. In further studies, rats pre-sensitized with OVA, and receiving OVA in the diet, showed elevated IgG antibody, sensitized spleen cells, and elevated periodontal bone loss scores. The concept that bone loss was due to mixed hypersensitivity reaction is consistent with the periodontal pathology. The effects of pre-immunization with A. actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) on periodontal bone loss in Actinobacillus (Aa) - infected rats was examined. Delayed hypersensitivity (DTH) was present in immunized rats throughout the experimental period. Sham-immunized rats showed DTH after 30 days of infection. In addition, immunized rats showed elevated bone loss scores. These experiments support the contention that a combination of hypersensitivity reactions (i.e., mixed hypersensitivity to Aa) could give rise to the periodontal pathology observed. Congenitally athymic rats (nude) were shown to have more periodontal bone loss than did normal littermates. However, bone loss in thymus-cell reconstituted nude rats was not different from that in control rats. Normal rats receiving Aa-sensitized T lymphocytes prior to infection with Aa demonstrated increased DTH and periodontal bone loss. These studies support the concept that T-cell functions and thymic regulation of immune responses can exert protective and/or destructive effects in periodontal disease. In order to modify disease, it will be necessary to enhance the protective aspects of the immune response and to minimize the detrimental aspects.

Topics: Actinobacillus; Alveolar Process; Animals; Antigens; Antigens, Bacterial; B-Lymphocytes; Bone Resorption; Germ-Free Life; Immunization; Lymphocyte Activation; Ovalbumin; Periodontal Diseases; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; T-Lymphocytes; Thymus Gland

Topics: Alveolar Process; Animals; Antibody Formation; Bone Resorption; Diet; Germ-Free Life; Immunity, Cellular; Lymphocytes; Ovalbumin; Periodontal Diseases; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Time Factors

A technique for the characterization of rat gingival lymphocytes has been described. The technique was used to obtain gingival cells from rats maintained on antigen-free diets or such diets with ovalbumin (OVA) added. Increases in gingival lymphocyte numbers in the antigen-fed (AF) animals occurred by 16 to 23 days of OVA feeding. The elevated gingival lymphocyte numbers were predominantly T lymphocytes at the initial intervals of the experiment (to 59 days of OVA feeding). At 128 days of OVA feeding T-lymphocyte numbers diminished but B-lymphocyte numbers increased, and AF animals had more than six times as many gingival B lymphocytes as animals not fed antigen. Also, AF animals showed immunoglobulin A antibody in intestinal perfusates (after 9 days of OVA feeding) and in saliva (within 23 days of OVA initiation). Plasma immunoglobulin G antibodies were not detected until 59 days of feeding. Spleen cells from AF rats showed in vitro blastogenic responses to OVA at 23 to 59 days of feeding. Periodontal bone loss was greater in AF animals after 59 and 128 days of OVA. Germfree animals fed only one antigen experienced more periodontal bone loss than animals fed the same diet not containing antigen. Therefore, immune phenomena can contribute to experimental bone loss in germfree rats.

Topics: Animals; Antigens; Bone and Bones; Germ-Free Life; Gingiva; Immunoglobulin G; Intestines; Lymphocyte Activation; Ovalbumin; Periodontal Diseases; Rats; Saliva

Topics: Animals; Antigens; Arthus Reaction; Complement C4; Female; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Gingiva; Haplorhini; Immunoglobulin G; Intradermal Tests; Macaca mulatta; Ovalbumin; Periodontal Diseases; Serum Albumin, Bovine

Topics: Animals; Antigen-Antibody Reactions; Haplorhini; Hypersensitivity; Ovalbumin; Periodontal Diseases