An immunologic investigation of atypical gingivostomatitis.

A fluorescent antibody investigation was conducted to determine first the difference, if any, in the presence of tissue-bound antibodies in normal gingiva and atypical gingivostomatitis gingiva, and second to determine if the serum of atypical gingivostomatitis patients had auto-antibodies directed against any specific structures of normal gingiva. The immunofluorescent tests produced two signficant results: 1. Most of the mononuclear inflammatory cells present in AGS gingiva had an antibody halo on the cell membrane surface. This could indicate that AGS is the result of hypersensitivity reaction. 2. The serum of AGS patients did not contain detectable auto-antibodies for normal gingiva which would be one indication that AGS is not an autoimmune disease.