1512 Monocyte Phagocytosis and Loss of Periodontal Attachment In Down Syndrome

Saturday, March 24, 2012: 9:45 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Presentation Type: Poster Session
A. KHOCHT1, B. RUSSELL2, J.G. CANNON2, B. TURNER3, and M. JANAL4, 1Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 2Georgia Health Sciences University, Augusta, GA, 3East Central Regional Hospital, Gracewood, GA, 4Department of Biomaterials and Biomimetics, New York University, New York, NY
Objectives: this study investigated the phagocytic function of peripheral granulocytes and monocytes from adult individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and assessed the relation between phagocytic function and periodontal status.

Methods: 55 DS individuals (18-56 years old), 74 mentally retarded (MR) individuals and 88 medically healthy controls (HC) participated in the study. Clinical periodontal measures including attachment level (AL) were recorded. Whole blood was collected for granulocyte/monocyte phagocytosis tests. Phagocytic function was determined by flow cytometry in terms of percentage of cells actively involved in phagocytosis, and phagocytic intensity (magnitude of the bacterial staining per cell).

Results: in DS individuals phagocytic intensity of both granulocytes and monocytes was comparable to HC subjects. In all subjects, monocyte phagocytic intensity showed a low positive association with AL (r=0.2, p=0.003). Regression analysis controlling for risk factors for periodontitis and factoring DS and MR status upheld the association between monocyte phagocytosis intensity and AL (p<0.05), showed an independent adverse effect of DS on AL (p<0.05) and a significant interaction between monocyte phagocytic intensity and DS status on AL (p<0.05).

Conclusions: monocyte phagocytic intensity in DS individuals is unimpaired and contributes to loss of periodontal attachment in these individuals.

Supported by NIDCR: DE15012-02

This abstract is based on research that was funded entirely or partially by an outside source: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, Bethesda, Maryland (NIDCR: DE15012-02)

Keywords: Down-syndrome, Immunology, Periodontal disease and Periodontium-gingiva