Skip to main content
PMC home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1980 Jun;28(3):713–718. doi: 10.1128/iai.28.3.713-718.1980

Modulation of immunoreactivity to periodontal disease-associated microorganisms during pregnancy.

D E Lopatin, K S Kornman, W J Loesche
PMCID: PMC551009  PMID: 7399691

Abstract

The lymphocyte blastogenic response to a panel of antigens and mitogens was assessed in a group of 20 women throughout their pregnancy. In addition, a group of five nonpregnant women was monitored simultaneously to identify variations in response to the same stimulants. The stimulants included orally associated bacterial antigens (Streptococcus sanguis, Actinomyces viscosus, Bacteroides asaccharolyticus, Bacteroides melaninogenicus subsp. intermedius, Bacteroides [Capnocytophaga] ochraceus, and Fusobacterium nucleatum) and non-orally associated-stimulants (streptokinase-streptodornase, tetanus toxoid, concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, and pokeweed mitogen). Intrinsic (cells cultured in male AB plasma) suppression of the lymphocyte response to these stimulants was observed to occur by the second trmester of pregnancy and was resolved after parturition. Additionally, an extrinsic (cells cultured in autologous plasma) suppression was also suggested to occur in a similar manner. There was no detectable enhancement of the blastogenic response to oral bacteria associated with elevated gingivitis, which is generally reported to occur during nonpregnancy gingivitis. We propose that concomitant immunosuppression occurs during the second trimester, which masks such enhancement.

Full text

PDF
717

Selected References

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

  1. Baines M. G., Pross H. F., Millar K. G. Lymphocyte populations in peripheral blood during normal human pregnancy. Clin Exp Immunol. 1977 Jun;28(3):453–457. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Baker J. J., Chan S. P., Socransky S. S., Oppenheim J. J., Mergenhagen S. E. Importance of Actinomyces and certain gram-negative anaerobic organisms in the transformation of lymphocytes from patients with periodontal disease. Infect Immun. 1976 May;13(5):1363–1368. doi: 10.1128/iai.13.5.1363-1368.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bulmer R., Hancock K. W. Depletion of circulating T lymphocytes in pregnancy. Clin Exp Immunol. 1977 May;28(2):302–305. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Clemens L. E., Siiteri P. K., Stites D. P. Mechanism of immunosuppression of progesterone on maternal lymphocyte activation during pregnancy. J Immunol. 1979 May;122(5):1978–1985. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dodson M. G., Kerman R. H., Lange C. F., Stefani S. S., O'Leary J. A. T and B cells in pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 1977 Mar;49(3):299–302. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Fabris N., Piantanelli L., Muzzioli M. Differential effect of pregnancy or gestagens on humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Clin Exp Immunol. 1977 May;28(2):306–314. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Harrison M. R. Maternal immunocompetence. II. Proliferative responses of maternal lymphocytes in vitro and inhibition by serum from pregnant rats. Scand J Immunol. 1976;5(8):881–889. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3083.1976.tb03038.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hsu C. C. Comparative inhibitory effects of serum on lymphocyte responses to mitogenic stimulation. Int Arch Allergy Appl Immunol. 1976;50(1):14–26. doi: 10.1159/000231476. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hsu C. C. Peripheral blood lymphocyte responses to phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen during pregnancy. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1974 Jul;146(3):771–775. doi: 10.3181/00379727-146-38190. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. LOE H., SILNESS J. PERIODONTAL DISEASE IN PREGNANCY. I. PREVALENCE AND SEVERITY. Acta Odontol Scand. 1963 Dec;21:533–551. doi: 10.3109/00016356309011240. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Loesche W. J., Hockett R. N., Syed S. A. The predominant cultivable flora of tooth surface plaque removed from institutionalized subjects. Arch Oral Biol. 1972 Sep;17(9):1311–1325. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(72)90164-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. O'Neil T. C. Maternal T-lymphocyte response and gingivitis in pregnancy. J Periodontol. 1979 Apr;50(4):178–184. doi: 10.1902/jop.1979.50.4.178. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Patters M. R., Genco R. J., Reed M. J., Mashimo P. A. Blastogenic response of human lymphocytes to oral bacterial antigens: comparison of individuals with periodontal disease to normal and edentulous subjects. Infect Immun. 1976 Nov;14(5):1213–1220. doi: 10.1128/iai.14.5.1213-1220.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Patters M. R., Sedransk N., Genco R. J. Lymphoproliferative response during resolution and recurrence of naturally occurring gingivitis. J Periodontol. 1977 Jul;48(7):373–380. doi: 10.1902/jop.1977.48.7.373. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Poskitt P. K., Kurt E. A., Paul B. B., Selvaraj R. J., Sbarra A. J., Mitchell G. W., Jr Response to mitogen during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Obstet Gynecol. 1977 Sep;50(3):319–323. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Purtilo D. T., Hallgren H. M., Yunis E. J. Depressed maternal lymphocyte response to phytohaemagglutinin in human pregnancy. Lancet. 1972 Apr 8;1(7754):769–771. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)90522-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. SILNESS J., LOE H. PERIODONTAL DISEASE IN PREGNANCY. II. CORRELATION BETWEEN ORAL HYGIENE AND PERIODONTAL CONDTION. Acta Odontol Scand. 1964 Feb;22:121–135. doi: 10.3109/00016356408993968. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Saito T., Takada M., Ishida N. Inhibition of PHA-induced lymphocyte stimulation by factors in maternal serum during late pregnancy. Tohoku J Exp Med. 1975 May;116(1):77–80. doi: 10.1620/tjem.116.77. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Shakir A., Demarchi M., el-Milli N. Pattern of protein-calorie malnutrition in young children attending an outpatient clinic in Baghdad. Lancet. 1972 Jul 22;2(7769):143–146. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(72)91323-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Strelkauskas A. J., Wilson B. S., Dray D., Dodson M. Inversion of levels of human T and B cells in early pregnancy. Nature. 1975 Nov 27;258(5533):331–332. doi: 10.1038/258331a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Yu V. Y., Waller C. A., Maclennan I. C., Baum J. D. Lymphocyte reactivity in pregnant women and newborn infants. Br Med J. 1975 Feb 22;1(5955):428–432. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5955.428. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES