Skip to main content
PMC home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1986 Feb;51(2):507–513. doi: 10.1128/iai.51.2.507-513.1986

Human immune responses to oral microorganisms: patterns of systemic antibody levels to Bacteroides species.

J L Ebersole, M A Taubman, D J Smith, D E Frey
PMCID: PMC262365  PMID: 3943900

Abstract

Human systemic antibody levels to oral members of the Bacteroides genus were assessed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antibody levels to B. gingivalis, two homology groups of B. intermedius, B. melaninogenicus, B. denticola, B. loescheii, B. corporis, B. oralis, B. buccae, and B. gracilis were determined in subjects with localized juvenile periodontitis, advanced destructive periodontitis, or adult periodontitis and in normal persons. Significantly elevated serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody levels to B. gingivalis were seen in adult and advanced destructive periodontitis patients. Serum IgM and IgA antibodies were increased in diseased versus normal subjects, whereas negligible levels of serum IgE antibody were detected to this microorganism. Serum IgG antibody levels to B. intermedius were increased in advanced destructive periodontitis patients; however, the frequency of elevated responses were similar among the groups. Extreme antibody levels to the other Bacteroides spp. were occasionally observed in this population. Additionally, all of the elevated levels were found in diseased patients. Distribution analyses of the antibody levels indicated that most patients exhibited a pattern of elevated antibodies to a limited number of the oral Bacteroides spp. The results suggested that elevated systemic antibody levels to oral Bacteroides spp. are more frequently found in periodontal disease patients. These antibody responses presumably reflect a colonization of the patients. The distribution of the responses may indicate the potential pathogenicity of the microorganisms and is consistent with distinctive host-parasite interactions in this disease.

Full text

PDF
507

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Doty S. L., Lopatin D. E., Syed S. A., Smith F. N. Humoral immune response to oral microorganisms in periodontitis. Infect Immun. 1982 Aug;37(2):499–505. doi: 10.1128/iai.37.2.499-505.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Ebersole J. L., Frey D. E., Taubman M. A., Smith D. J. An ELISA for measuring serum antibodies to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. J Periodontal Res. 1980 Nov;15(6):621–632. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1980.tb00321.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Ebersole J. L., Taubman M. A., Smith D. J., Genco R. J., Frey D. E. Human immune responses to oral micro-organisms. I. Association of localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP) with serum antibody responses to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. Clin Exp Immunol. 1982 Jan;47(1):43–52. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Ebersole J. L., Taubman M. A., Smith D. J., Socransky S. S. Humoral immune responses and diagnosis of human periodontal disease. J Periodontal Res. 1982 Sep;17(5):478–480. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1982.tb02032.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Engvall E., Perlmann P. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Elisa. 3. Quantitation of specific antibodies by enzyme-labeled anti-immunoglobulin in antigen-coated tubes. J Immunol. 1972 Jul;109(1):129–135. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Ivanyi L., Lehner T. Stimulation of lymphocyte transformation by bacterial antigens in patients with periodontal disease. Arch Oral Biol. 1970 Nov;15(11):1089–1096. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(70)90121-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Kornman K. S., Holt S. C. Physiological and ultrastructural characterization of a new Bacteroides species (Bacteroides capillus) isolated from severe localized periodontitis. J Periodontal Res. 1981 Sep;16(5):542–555. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1981.tb02016.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Kornman K. S., Siegrist B., Soskolne W. A., Nuki K. The predominant cultivable subgingival flora of beagle dogs following ligature placement and metronidazole therapy. J Periodontal Res. 1981 May;16(3):251–258. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1981.tb00973.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Lang N. P., Smith F. N. Lymphocyte blastogenesis to plaque antigens in human periodontal disease. I. Populations of varying severity of disease. J Periodontal Res. 1977 Jul;12(4):298–309. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1977.tb00134.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Lehner T., Wilton J. M., Ivanyi L., Manson J. D. Immunological aspects of juvenile periodontitis (periodontosis). J Periodontal Res. 1974;9(5):261–272. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1974.tb00681.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Mansheim B. J., Stenstrom M. L., Low S. B., Clark W. B. Measurement of serum and salivary antibodies to the oral pathogen Bacteroides asaccharolyticus in human subjects. Arch Oral Biol. 1980;25(8-9):553–557. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(80)90067-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Mouton C., Hammond P. G., Slots J., Genco R. J. Serum antibodies to oral Bacteroides asaccharolyticus (Bacteroides gingivalis): relationship to age and periondontal disease. Infect Immun. 1981 Jan;31(1):182–192. doi: 10.1128/iai.31.1.182-192.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Page R. C., Altman L. C., Ebersole J. L., Vandesteen G. E., Dahlberg W. H., Williams B. L., Osterberg S. K. Rapidly progressive periodontitis. A distinct clinical condition. J Periodontol. 1983 Apr;54(4):197–209. doi: 10.1902/jop.1983.54.4.197. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Patters M. R., Chen P., McKenna J., Genco R. J. Lymphoproliferative responses to oral bacteria in humans with varying severities of periodontal disease. Infect Immun. 1980 Jun;28(3):777–784. doi: 10.1128/iai.28.3.777-784.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Reed M. J., Slots J., Mouton C., Genco R. J. Antigenic studies of oral and nonoral black-pigmented Bacteroides strains. Infect Immun. 1980 Aug;29(2):564–574. doi: 10.1128/iai.29.2.564-574.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. SOCRANSKY S. S., GIBBONS R. J. REQUIRED ROLE OF BACTEROIDES MELANINOGENICUS IN MIXED ANAEROBIC INFECTIONS. J Infect Dis. 1965 Jun;115:247–253. doi: 10.1093/infdis/115.3.247. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Slots J., Genco R. J. Black-pigmented Bacteroides species, Capnocytophaga species, and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in human periodontal disease: virulence factors in colonization, survival, and tissue destruction. J Dent Res. 1984 Mar;63(3):412–421. doi: 10.1177/00220345840630031101. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Slots J. Subgingival microflora and periodontal disease. J Clin Periodontol. 1979 Oct;6(5):351–382. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051x.1979.tb01935.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Socransky S. S. Microbiology of periodontal disease -- present status and future considerations. J Periodontol. 1977 Sep;48(9):497–504. doi: 10.1902/jop.1977.48.9.497. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Spiegel C. A., Hayduk S. E., Minah G. E., Krywolap G. N. Black-pigmented Bacteroides from clinically characterized periodontal sites. J Periodontal Res. 1979 Sep;14(5):376–382. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1979.tb00234.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Syed S. A. Characteristics of Bacteroides asaccharolyticus from dental plaques of beagle dogs. J Clin Microbiol. 1980 May;11(5):522–526. doi: 10.1128/jcm.11.5.522-526.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Tanner A. C., Haffer C., Bratthall G. T., Visconti R. A., Socransky S. S. A study of the bacteria associated with advancing periodontitis in man. J Clin Periodontol. 1979 Oct;6(5):278–307. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051x.1979.tb01931.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Van Dyke T. E., Horoszewicz H. U., Cianciola L. J., Genco R. J. Neutrophil chemotaxis dysfunction in human periodontitis. Infect Immun. 1980 Jan;27(1):124–132. doi: 10.1128/iai.27.1.124-132.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. White D., Mayrand D. Association of oral Bacteroides with gingivitis and adult periodontitis. J Periodontal Res. 1981 May;16(3):259–265. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1981.tb00974.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Williams B. L., Pantalone R. M., Sherris J. C. Subgingival microflora and periodontitis. J Periodontal Res. 1976 Feb;11(1):1–18. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1976.tb00045.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES