[Chemiluminescence and phagocytic reactions of human nuclear leukocytes incubated with Streptococcus sanguis]

This experiment was designed to determine the role of indigenous organisms in gingival inflammation of the oral cavity, The test bacteria consisted of 3 strains of Streptococcus sanguis isolated from plaque at the gingival margin and grown in sure culture. These strains were subsequently designated as A, B and C. Peripheral nuclear leukocytes were isolated from 5 test subjects with clinically healthy gingiva. Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence and phagocytic functions of the 3 strains were measured, with the following results obtained. The mean peak value of luminol-dependent chemiluminescence following stimulation for strain A was 80.8 in the presence of serum, 38.8 in the presence of inactivated serum, and 20.5 in the absence of serum. For strain B it was 82.3 in the presence of serum, 6.4 in the presence of inactivated serum, and 2.5 in the absence of serum. For strain C it was 68.1 in the presence of serum, 65.3 in the presence of inactivated serum, and 8.3 in the absence of serum. In the absence of plasma strains A and B showed slight phagocytosis. In strain C, however, no phagocytosis was noted. In the presence of inactivated serum phagocytosis was increased strains A and B, but no phagocytosis was noted in strain C. In the presence of blood. phagocytosis was increased in strains A and B, but no phagocytosis was noted in strain C.