Impaired polymorphonuclear leukocyte 15-lipoxygenase activity in juvenile and rapidly progressive periodontitis

15-lipoxygenase activity was investigated in sonicated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) from patients with juvenile and rapidly progressive periodontitis and adult periodontitis. The group with juvenile and rapidly progressive periodontitis had 17 patients (6 male, 11 female, mean age 27.4 years), and the age matched control group had 18 normal individuals (11 male, 7 female, mean age 26.3 years). The group with adult periodontitis had 14 patients with 9 male, 5 female, mean age 45.2 years and the age-matched control group had 6 normal subjects with 5 male, 1 female, mean age 43.7 years. 15-hydroxyeicosa-tetraenoic acid (15-HETE) synthesized in the group with juvenile and rapidly progressive periodontitis was 0.219 +/- 0.102 ng/mg protein (mean +/- S.D.), while it was 0.410 +/- 0.138 ng/mg protein in the age-matched control group. There was a significant difference between the two groups. The group with adult periodontitis produced 0.358 +/- 0.124 ng/mg protein and the age matched control group produced 0.448 +/- 0.176 ng/mg protein (no significant difference). These results are relevant to reports that PMNLs of patients with juvenile and rapidly progressive periodontitis have abnormal functions, while those of patients with adult periodontitis are normal.