Revealing Leukocyte Populations in Human Peri-implantitis and Periodontitis Using Flow Cytometry

Objective: To identify, quantify, and characterize leukocyte populations in PI and periodontitis using flow cytometry.

Methods: Fresh biopsies from human PI and periodontitis lesions were processed to a single-cell suspension. The immune cell types were identified using flow cytometry.

Results: Twenty-one biopsies were obtained and analyzed corresponding to fourteen PI and seven periodontitis samples. Participants' average age was 63.95 ± 14.77 years without a significant difference between PI and periodontitis patients, the female/male ratio was 8/12, and mean PD was 8.5 ± 2.17. High similarity was found between periodontitis and PI in the main immune cell types. Out of the leukocytes, the PMN proportion was 40% in PI and 33% in periodontitis. T-cells 22% in PI and 18% in periodontitis. Similar proportions of B-cells 10% and macrophages 6% were found in PI and periodontitis. Dendritic and NK cells were found in low proportions (~ 1%) in PI and periodontitis. T-cell sub-analysis showed that CD4-positive were more prevalent than CD8-positive in both diseases (CD4/CD8 ratio of 1.2).

Conclusion: With the use of flow cytometry analysis, the leukocyte populations in human peri-implantitis and periodontitis were classified. In PI and periodontitis, we identified similar proportions of specific (CD4/CD8) and innate (dendritic and NK) immune cells. These results corroborate previous histological studies.

Clinical Relevance: Flow cytometry analysis can be used to identify and quantify immune cells in PI and periodontitis, including sub-classification of T cells (CD4/8) as well as detection of cells that require multiple markers for identification (such as dendritic cells).