Abstract

ISAZA-GUZMAN, D.M.; TOBON-ARROYAVE, S.I.  and  MARTINEZ-PABON, M.C.. Immunopathogenesis of periodontal disease and Th17 cells: controversy does it persist?. Avances en Periodoncia [online]. 2016, vol.28, n.3, pp.115-124. ISSN 2340-3209.

It is widely recognized that periodontal disease (PD) is an inflammatory condition of infectious origin, in which the host immune activation leads to destruction of the teeth-supporting tissues. In the immunopathogenesis of PD are involved both the innate and the adaptive mechanisms of the immune response, specifically the activation of CD4+ Tlymphocytes and their subpopulations, which has generated controversy regarding the profile of cytokines present in relation to the severity of the disease. This review will address the available evidence for the involvement of Th17 cells and their cytokines, especially IL-17, in the progression of the disease taking into account the type of biological sample and the method used for its detection. Taken together, the evidence indicates an important role of IL-17 in PD, but it is unclear its dominant role as a protective or destructive cytokine. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated a great functional plasticity in Th17 cells activation depending of the environmental conditions in which takes place its activation. By now it is clear that IL-17 belongs to an assembly of molecules that are activated in response to colonization by periodontopathogens, but it is not yet possible to restrict the immunopathogenesis of PD to a particular molecules profile when multiple factors converge in the clinical presentation of the disease.

Keywords : Periodontal disease; immunopathogenesis; Th17 cells; IL-17; IL-21; IL-22.

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