Increased collagen degradation by experimentally-induced granulation tissue inoculated with bacteria.

Periodontitis is characterized by asymptomatic periodic collagen degradation, which is accompanied by the formation of granulation tissue induced by bacteria. The lesions sometimes contain micro-organisms and/or micro-abscesses that are of unknown significance. The aim of this study was to determine whether bacteria in a sterile granulation tissue could enhance its collagenolytic capacity.

Reduction of collagen degradation in experimental granulation tissue by vitamin E and selenium.

The importance of antioxidants in inflammatory tissues has been studied in vivo. Degradation of homologous 3H-collagen powder by experimental granulation tissue induced by cellulose sponges in the rat was monitored as the radioactivity excreted in urine. By administering pharmacological doses of both vitamin E and selenium subcutaneously and by injection into sponges implanted subcutaneously, this breakdown of collagen was reduced.

Influence of plasma components on luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence from peripheral granulocytes in juvenile periodontitis.

The generation rate of free oxygen radicals as measured by maximal light intensity of luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence from peripheral blood granulocytes (PMN) stimulated with differently opsonized Staphylococcus aureus was studied in 13 patients with juvenile periodontitis (JP) and pair-matched, healthy controls. Plasma proteins related to inflammation were also assayed. When stimulated with bacteria opsonized with autologous serum, the PMN from the JP patients showed a more intensive chemiluminescence than did their pair-matched controls (p less than or equal to 0.