FIG. 4.

Effects of human hsp60 and P. gingivalis GroEL on expression of mRNA (A) and protein (B) of IL-4 by PBMC in periodontitis patients and control subjects. PBMC were stimulated with 10 μg of human hsp60 or P. gingivalis GroEL/ml for 6 days. The intensity of cytokine gene expression was calculated relative to the intensity of β-actin gene expression as a control. Cytokine levels in the culture supernatants were determined by using an ELISA kit according to the manufacturer's instructions. Data are expressed as means ± standard errors for either periodontitis patients (n = 16) or control subjects (n = 10). No significant difference was observed between periodontitis patients and control subjects irrespective of the presence or absence of stimulation.