Lymphocyte-epithelial cell interactions in oral mucosal inflammatory diseases.

Lymphocyte cytotoxicity for target cells is a method for evaluating specific lymphocyte stimulation. In vitro lymphocytotoxicity has been demonstrated in chronic ulcerative colitis and granulomatous colitis, polymyositis and dermatomyositis, systemic scleroderma, recurrent aphthous stomatitis, and periodontal disease. We have investigated lymphocytotoxicity in 36 patients with various oral inflammatory diseases using an automated cell-counting system. This investigation demonstrated in vitro lymphocytotoxicity for gingival epithelial target cells by aggressor lymphocytes harvested from patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis and periodontal disease. This effect was not seen when the lymphocytes were harvested from normal subjects or from patients with other oral mucosal inflammatory diseases. The automated cell-counting system corresponded very well with the assay technique of exclusion of supravital dye.

Lymphocytotosicity for gingival epithelial cells in periodontal disease.

An immune pathogenesis has been implicated in periodontal disease. Lymphocytotoxicity assays utilizing a suspension of peripheral blood lymphocytes incubated with allogeneic trypsinized gingival epithelium were performed. The results demonstrate a significant in vitro lymphocytotoxicity for gingival epithelial target cells when the aggressor lymphocytes are from patients with destructive periodontal disease (high PDI). No significant lymphocytotoxicity was demonstrated with lymphocytes for periodontal disease-free (low PDI) patients. We conclude that there is a significant reduction in gingival epithelial cell survival after an 18-hour incubation with aggressor lymphocytes obtained frompatients who have destructive periodontal disease, and suggest there is a pathologic relationship between the patient's lymphocytes and the disease process.