Th17 and Th1 Lymphocytes Are Correlated with Chronic Periodontitis.

ABSTRACTT cells are involved in the homeostasis of periodontal tissues and mediate bone loss in periodontitis, but the involvement of T-helper cells in chronic periodontitis (CP) in a Chinese population is still unclear. This study aimed to assess the distribution of peripheral and local T helper (Th17) and Th1 in CP. Sixty-eight patients with CP and 43 healthy controls were recruited from April 2012 to July 2014 at the Department of Stomatology, People’s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (China). The proportions of Th17 (CD3+CD4+IL-17+) and Th1 (CD3+CD4+IFN-γ+) T-cells in peripheral blood samples were assessed by flow cytometry. Immunohistochemistry was used to quantify interleukin-17 (IL-17) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) protein levels in gingival biopsy samples. mRNA levels of IL-17, IFN-γ RORγt, and T-bet in gingival biopsy samples were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The proportions of circulating Th17 cells and Th1 cells were both more abundant in CP...