The distribution of Langerhans cells and CD1a antigen in healthy and diseased human gingiva.

The distribution of CD1a antigen in gingival epithelium of clinically healthy gingiva was examined and compared with the distribution in gingival epithelium of adult periodontitis lesions. Cryostat sections were examined with monoclonal antibodies to CD1a antigen using the ABC immunoperoxidase technique. In healthy gingiva, CD1a was limited to Langerhans cells (LC) which were observed throughout the length of the external epithelium and orosulcular epithelium. The numbers of LC expressed either per unit length of orosulcular epithelium or per mm2 were similar to the numbers in external gingiva. Junctional epithelium contained few if any dendritic LC. The numbers of LC in pocket epithelium of adult periodontitis lesions were significantly lower compared with orosulcular epithelium of healthy tissue and compared with external gingiva of diseased tissue (p less than 0.005). In many sections, no LC were identified in pocket epithelium. In 5 of 8 adult periodontitis sites, CD1a was also observed in association with the membranes of suprabasal keratinocytes in external and pocket epithelium in areas where no LC were identified. These findings provide further evidence that changes in gingival epithelial cells occur in periodontal disease which are analogous to those documented in dermatological diseases and suggest that epithelium may play a role in gingival homeostasis and in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases.