Impact of photodynamic therapy on inflammatory cells during human chronic periodontitis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the photodynamic therapy (PDT) on the inflammatory infiltrate and on the collagen network organization in human advanced chronic periodontitis. Two different drug delivery systems (DDS) were tested (liposomes and nanoemulsions) to determine if the effects of PDT could differ according to the DDS used. Sixteen patients presenting two teeth with chronic advanced periodontitis and important tooth mobility with clinical indication of extraction were included in the group liposomes (group L, n = 8) or in the group nanoemulsions (group N, n = 8) in order to compare the effects of each DDS. Seven days before extractions one tooth of each patient was treated with PDT using phthalocyanine derivatives as photosensitizers and the contralateral tooth was taken as control. In group L the density of gingival collagen fibers (66 ± 19%) was significantly increased ( p < 0.02) when compared to controls (35 ± 21%). Concerning the antigen-presenting cells, PDT had differential effects depending on the drug delivery system; the number of macrophages was significantly decreased ( p < 0.05) in group L while the number of Langerhans cells was significantly decreased in group N ( p < 0.02). These findings demonstrate that PDT presents an impact on gingival inflammatory phenomenon during chronic periodontitis and leads to a specific decrease of antigen-presenting cells populations according to the drug delivery system used.