Phagocytic Function of Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes in Gingival Crevicular Fluid from Patients with Adult Periodontitis

The purpose of this study is to investigate phagocytic activity and expression of surface receptor (in connection with phagocytic activity) (FcγR III and CR 3) on gingival crevicular fluid PMNs (GC-PMNs) in comparison of patients with adult periodontitis (AP) and healty subjects. Peripheral blood PMNs (PB-PMNs) and GCPMNs were isolated from each subject (AP: n=10, healthy subjects: n=10). The analysis of phagocytic activity (phagocytosis and phagocytic index) and expression of surface receptor were performed. The effect of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) supernatant on the phagocytic activity and the receptor expression on PB-PMNs were also investigated (PB-PMNs was incubated with HBSSCMF as control group). Phagocytic activity (phagocytosis and phagocytic index) and FcγR III expression of GC-PMNs were significantly lower than those of PB-PMNs in both groups. CR 3 expression of GC-PMNs were significantly higher than those of PB-PMNs in both groups. Phagocytic index of GC-PMNs in patients with AP was significantly lower than in healthy subjects, and FcγR III expression of GC-PMNs in patients with AP were lower than in healthy subjects. Phagocytic activity and FcγR III expression of PB-PMNs incubated with GCF supernatant was not statistically different from control group. CR 3 expression of PB-PMNs incubated with GCF supernatant was significantly higher than that of control group. These results demonstrate a partial decrease of phagocytic activity of GC-PMNs in patients with AP compared to that of healthy subjects. The above suggest there is little that influence of GCF supernatant on phagocytic activity of PMNs.