Human immune responses to oral microorganisms: patterns of systemic antibody levels to Bacteroides species

Human systemic antibody levels to oral members of the Bacteroides genus were assessed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Antibody levels to B. gingivalis, two homology groups of B. intermedius, B. melaninogenicus, B. denticola, B. loescheii, B. corporis, B. oralis, B. buccae, and B. gracilis were determined in subjects with localized juvenile periodontitis, advanced destructive periodontitis, or adult periodontitis and in normal persons. Significantly elevated serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody levels to B. gingivalis were seen in adult and advanced destructive periodontitis patients. Serum IgM and IgA antibodies were increased in diseased versus normal subjects, whereas negligible levels of serum IgE antibody were detected to this microorganism. Serum IgG antibody levels to B. intermedius were increased in advanced destructive periodontitis patients; however, the frequency of elevated responses were similar among the groups. Extreme antibody levels to the other Bacteroides spp. were occasionally observed in this population. Additionally, all of the elevated levels were found in diseased patients. Distribution analyses of the antibody levels indicated that most patients exhibited a pattern of elevated antibodies to a limited number of the oral Bacteroides spp. The results suggested that elevated systemic antibody levels to oral Bacteroides spp. are more frequently found in periodontal disease patients. These antibody responses presumably reflect a colonization of the patients. The distribution of the responses may indicate the potential pathogenicity of the microorganisms and is consistent with distinctive host-parasite interactions in this disease.