Efeito do tabagismo nas células de Langerhans e Dendríticas em indivíduos com gengivite crônica

Abstract

Background: Prior literature has shown contrasting results regarding dendritic cell (DC) counts in periodontal diseases. Although smoking does decrease the number of DC in the lungs, the effect of smoking on the quantitative distribution of Langerhans cells (LC) and DC within chronic gingivitis has not yet been investigated. Methods: Gingival samples were obtained from 30 patients, smokers and non-smokers. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to identify CD1a+ immature LC and CD83+ mature DC. Inflammatory infiltrate was evaluated and counted. Density of the cells was calculated within the oral epithelium (OE), sulcular epithelium (SE), and lamina propria (LP) for CD1a+ cells and within the LP for CD83+ cells. These results were compared between the groups. This study sought to evaluate whether or not the high number of cigarettes and the time of smoking actually affected the density of cells. The correlations among the densities of LC and DC with the densities of inflammatory infiltrate, number of cigarettes, and time of smoking was performed. Results: Density of inflammatory infiltrate and CD1a+ cells from SE and from LP was significantly lower for smokers than for non-smokers (P<0.05). This was not a result for CD1a+ cells from OE and CD83+ cells from LP. The number of cigarettes and time of smoking did not affect the density of cells. No statistically significant correlation could be drawn between the density of LC and DC and Inflammatory infiltrate, number of cigarettes, and time of smoking. Conclusions: Smoking proved to affect the quantitative distribution of LC and DC in chronic gingivitis.