The importance of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in protection against tissue degradation in GAgP has been demonstrated by the findings that IL-10 deficiency was associated with higher susceptibility to alveolar bone loss after microbial infection in mice [19, 20], and that IL-10 mRNA was found almost exclusively in gingival samples from healthy controls and not in samples from patients with GAgP [21]. We have recently

reported that peripheral mononuclear cells (MNC) from patients with GAgP respond to P. gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) with a reduced production of IL-2, in an antigen-specific manner [22]. As IL-12 directs Th1 responses to P. gingivalis in an experimental model of periodontitis C59 wnt molecular weight [23], a compromised IL-12 response to

periodontal pathogens in GagP can be hypothesized. To test this, and to establish whether the bacteria-induced production of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10 was altered in patients with GAgP, we examined the MNC responses of patients with GAgP and healthy controls in a hitherto non-investigated milieu containing autologous serum at a concentration where complement levels Selleck Carfilzomib are comparable to those of the gingival fluid [24]. Patients and controls.  Ten Caucasian patients with GAgP, recruited from the Section of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark between 2005 and 2007, and 10 healthy Caucasian controls were included in the study. The patients were either newly diagnosed or with a persistent treatment need and fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of the latest GAgP classification system from the American Academy of Periodontology [25]. The groups were comparable with respect to age and gender. Four of the patients were smokers (15–30 cigarettes daily) versus none in the control group. The periodontal characteristics SPTLC1 of the participants have been published previously [22]. The study was approved by the regional ethical committee. All participants were informed about the procedures, and written informed consent was

obtained. Cells and serum.  Blood cells and serum were isolated from venous blood collected in citrate-phosphate-dextrose tubes (Terumo Corporation, Terumo Europe N.V., Leuven, Belgium) and anticoagulant-free tubes (BD Biosciences, Brøndby, Denmark), respectively. MNC were isolated by density centrifugation over Lymphoprep™ (Nycomed Pharma AS, Oslo, Norway) as described [22]. Periodontal pathogens.  Type strains of P. gingivalis (ATCC 33277), Prevotella intermedia (ATCC 25611), and F. nucleatum (ATCC 49256) were obtained from Section of Oral Microbiology, School of Dentistry, Copenhagen, Denmark. Subgingival bacteria from the patients with GAgP were sampled using a sterile paperpoint placed in the periodontal pocket.