Cytokine profiles of Porphyromonas gingivalis-reactive T lymphocyte lines and clones derived from P. gingivalis-infected subjects

Abstract

Porphyromonos gingivolis is generally recognized as a major periodontopathogen such that a study of T cell responses to this organism may help to elucidate immune regulation in periodontal disease. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine interleukin (IL)‐4, interferon (IFN)‐gamma and IL‐10 production by p_‐gingivolis‐responsive T cell lines and clones derived from the peripheral blood of two P. gingivolis‐infected subjects with different disease expression and from the gingival tissues of one of the P. gingivolis‐infected subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: FACS analysis was used to determine the percentage of T cells staining positive for cytoplasmic IL‐4, IFN‐gamma and IL‐10 and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) was performed to determine the presence of mRNA for IL‐4 and IFN‐gamma in the T cell lines and clones. RESULTS FACS analysis showed that virtually all the T cell lines and clones contained IL‐4– and IFN‐gamma‐pro‐ducing T cells. The RT‐PCR results generally supported this trend. However, a higher percentage of cells in the clones derived from one subject produced IL‐4 while a lower percentage produced IFN‐gamma compared with the clones derived from the other subject. FACS analysis also demonstrated that the lines and clones derived from the two subjects showed differences in IL‐10 production. CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated that there may be differences in IL‐4 and 11–10 production by the P. gingivolis responsive lines and clones derived from P. gingivalis‐infected subjects with different disease expression. Any relationship to disease however, remains to be determined.