Esterase-positive inflammatory cells in human periapical lesions

Abstract

The relative distribution of acid α-naphthyl acetate esterase staining cells was studied in inflammatory infiltrates of acute (rapidly progressive) and chronic (slowly progressive) inflammatory periapical lesions, selected on the basis of clinical data. Differential cell counts on sections from the acute (10 granulomas) and chronic (3 granulomas and 7 cysts) inflammatory lesions showed that plasma cells were the predominating α-naphthyl acetate esterase-reactive cells (27%) in acute lesions, whereas T lymphocytes predominated in chronic lesions (25%). Macrophages were more abundant in chronic lesions (13%) compared with acute lesions (6%). Large granular lymphocytes (natural killer cells) could not be identified with certainty among the α-naphthyl acetate esterase-positive cells. The results indicate that there is a relationship between the composition of the inflammatory cell infiltrate and the progression of an inflammatory periapical lesion. The relative distribution of acid α-naphthyl acetate esterase staining cells was studied in inflammatory infiltrates of acute (rapidly progressive) and chronic (slowly progressive) inflammatory periapical lesions, selected on the basis of clinical data. Differential cell counts on sections from the acute (10 granulomas) and chronic (3 granulomas and 7 cysts) inflammatory lesions showed that plasma cells were the predominating α-naphthyl acetate esterase-reactive cells (27%) in acute lesions, whereas T lymphocytes predominated in chronic lesions (25%). Macrophages were more abundant in chronic lesions (13%) compared with acute lesions (6%). Large granular lymphocytes (natural killer cells) could not be identified with certainty among the α-naphthyl acetate esterase-positive cells. The results indicate that there is a relationship between the composition of the inflammatory cell infiltrate and the progression of an inflammatory periapical lesion.