Antibody-producing cells in human periapical granulomas and cysts

Immunoglobulin-producing cells were quantitated in 20 human periapical granulomas and cysts. Results showed that 42% of the lymphoid cells comprising 19% of all inflammatory cells contained immunoglobulins. The majority of lymphocytes (81%) were not associated with immunoglobulin production. IgG was found in 74%, IgA in 20%, IgE in 4%, and IgM in 2% of the immunoglobulin-positive cells. Pain did not correlate with any measurable change in the distribution of immunoglobulin-positive cells or other inflammatory cells. Endodontic treatment of inflamed pulps did not alter the lesional distribution of immunoglobulin-positive cells compared with the distribution that prevailed in untreated patients. There were no significant differences in immunoglobulin distribution between the solid and cystic forms of the periapical lesions.