Description:
<jats:p><jats:bold>Abstract. </jats:bold> The generation rate of free oxygen radicals as measured by maximal light intensity of luminol‐enhanced chemiluminescenee from peripheral blood granulocytes (PMN) stimulated with differently opsonized <jats:italic>Staphylococcus aureus</jats:italic> was studied in 13 patients with juvenile periodontitis (JP) and pair‐matched, healthy controls. Plasma proteins related to inflammation were also assayed. When stimulated with bacteria opsonized with autologous serum, the PMN from the JP patients showed a more intensive chemiluminescenee than did their pair‐matched controls (p<0.0005). The difference was consistent but slightly reduced when using, heat‐treated serum (p<0.006) or heterologous gammaglobulin (p<0.19) for opsonization. When testing freeze preserved sera from 11 of the compaired pairs, the sera from JP patients induced a slightly higher chemiluminescence in PMN from a healthy donor (p<0.031).</jats:p><jats:p>Protein analysis of the patient sera revealed a slightly higher concentration of complement 4 (p<0.032) and IgM (p<0.030) when compared with their respective pair‐matched healthy controls.</jats:p><jats:p>The influence of other blood components contaminating our assay system was checked on healthy PMN cells. Lymphocytes, platelets, relevant amounts of ADP and serum had no effect on the chemiluminescence.</jats:p><jats:p>In conclusion, the increased chemiluminescence of peripheral blood granulocytes from patients with juvenile periodontitis seems to be related mainly to the cells. The association with free oxygen radicals and their tissue‐damagemg potency might be a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease.</jats:p>