Ageing effects on humoral immune responses in chronic periodontitis

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17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Periodontal disease is a dominant global bacterial infection that increases with ageing. Aim: This report focuses on host adaptive immune responses in periodontitis. While experimental models and humans diagnosed with periodontitis demonstrate an antigenic specificity for particular oral bacteria, we have a limited understanding of (i) how ageing affects the adaptive immune responses to these bacteria that chronically colonize the oral cavity for decades prior to disease expression and (ii) how the magnitude and specificity of the response interface with pathogens that emerge within the bacterial ecology during exacerbations of disease. Materials and Methods: Serum antibody levels to a group of pathogenic and commensal oral bacteria were measured in a population of individuals from 21 to 74 years of age, stratified based on clinical status of the periodontium, smoking and sex. Results: Clinical parameters were not significantly different within health, gingivitis or periodontitis groups related to age. Antibody to oral pathogens and commensals was similar in different age groups in each of the clinical categories, with no age correlation noted in the periodontitis patients. Conclusions: The adaptive immune responses to oral bacteria that chronically colonize the oral cavity appear generally unaffected by age, but clearly are linked to the extent of disease.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)680-692
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Clinical Periodontology
Volume45
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2018

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We want to acknowledge the expertise and support of the clinical research team (D. Dawson, D. Fogle, L. Johnston, H. Gallivan) in the Delta Dental of Kentucky Clinical Research Center and the technical assistance of M.J. Steffen and J. Stevens for the host response measures and Dr. S.S. Kirakodu for the microbial assessment. The authors state explicitly that there is no conflict of interests in connection with this article. This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grants for the Center for Biomedical Research Excellence RR020145 and GM103538 and TR000117 to the University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Research.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Keywords

  • ageing
  • antibody
  • oral bacteria
  • periodontitis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Periodontics

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