Assessment of in vitro interleukin-2-producing capacity of peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with periodontitis.

Abstract

In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the in vitro interleukin-2 (IL-2) producing capacity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and lymphocytes from patients with different forms of periodontitis. 45 patients (12 with localised early onset periodontitis (LEOP), 20 with generalised early onset periodontitis (GEOP), and 13 with adult periodontitis (AP), and 20 periodontally healthy subjects (HS), participated in this study. PBMC and lymphocytes were isolated from the subjects and their cells were stimulated with an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (anti-CD3 MoAb) and the secreted IL-2 levels in the culture were bioassayed. No significant differences could be found in IL-2 producing activity of PBMC between the patients and HS group. There was wide interindividual variation and high and low "IL-2 producers" were noted. We found a LEOP patient who was a high producer of IL-2 (> mean + 8 SD) and 2 LEOP patients and a HS who were low producers of IL-2 (< mean - 1.5 SD) with their lymphocytes. Incidentally, the HS became a LEOP patient during 2 years after this study. The low IL-2 producing activity of their PBMC and lymphocytes against anti-CD3 MoAb could not be overcome by stimulation with phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin. Thus, we found high and low IL-2 producing capacity by PBMC and lymphocytes in certain subjects and these subjects may be useful models in assessing the role of systemic IL-2 productivity associated with their progression of periodontal disease.