Researchers at The Forsyth Institute, Boston, have confirmed in human gingival tissue that immune cells play a destructive role in periodontal disease, according to a study published in the September issue of the American Journal of Pathology.
Although researchers had suspected the correlation between bone loss in periodontal disease and immune cells, this is the first time that this has been confirmed in human tissue samples.
Researchers, led by Dr. Toshihisa Kawai, an associate member of the staff, Department of Immunology, examined whether the immune response to periodontal bacteria is protective or pathogenic in the context of periodontal disease. They found that B cells can contribute to increased periodontal bone loss coordinating with activated T cells. Dr. Kawai’s group previously had found that both cell types manifest a host immune response to the bacteria causing bone loss in animal models.
"This research validates our hypothesis that immune cells are harmful in gum disease," said Dr. Kawai. "It’s a ground-breaking discovery because it truly gives a new understanding of periodontal disease, while also raising interesting questions about immune cells," he said.
"We hope this work will help us save people’s teeth in the future," added Dr. Kawai.
