The polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotactic response to Bacteroides melaninogenicus

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Abstract
PMN chemotactic assays were undertaken in four groups of subjects classified on the basis of age and periodontal disease status. Assays were conducted in the absence of serum using human serum albumin (HSA), Bacteroides melaninogenicus sonicate, and LPS activated serum as chemoattractants. When analysis of variance was carried out to test for interactions between age, disease status, and chemoattractant, highly significant differences were demonstrated between HSA plus Bacteroides melaninogenicus, HSA, and the LPS activated serum (p < 0.001) with a significant reduction in the ability of PMN's from older subjects to respond to the chemoattractant (p < 0.05). Diseased subjects' PMN's did not display an increased locomotion in either the older or younger age group (p > 0.05).