In situ characterization of mononuclear cells in marginal periodontitis of patients with Down's syndrome.

An indirect immunofluorescence technique on cryostat sections was used to study the cellular composition in chronic marginal periodontitis (CMP) of patients with Down's syndrome (DS). The findings were compared with CMP lesions in otherwise normal patients (NP). The distribution and amount of CD22+ cells (B lymphocytes), CD3+ cells (pan T lymphocytes), CD4+ cells (helper T subset), CD8+ cells (suppressor/cytotoxic T subset), and CD11c+ cells (in tissue, mainly monocytes and macrophages) were investigated.