[Effects of the soft diet on the periodontium and the leukocyte functions of the beige mouse].

Abstract

The Chédiak-Higashi (C-H) syndrome in man and certain animals including the beige mouse in a genetic disorder (autosomal recessive disease) characterized by partial oculocutaneous albinism, photophobia, recurrent infections and defective leukocyte function manifested by the presence of abnormally large lysosome-like organelles in granule-containing cells. The oral manifestations that have been reported include severe gingivitis, ulcerations, and early, severe, periodontal break-down. The beige mouse is analogous to the C-H syndrome in man. This study was conducted determine the effects of diet (soft diet) on the periodontium and leukocyte functions of beige mice by observing the periodontium and the activity of the cells. Beige mice and their heterozygous male littermates (hetero mice) were used at the age of 4-24 weeks and the lower jaw and neutrophils, macrophages and lymphocytes were used. There was no significant difference histologically between the beige mice and hetero mice at the age of 24 weeks when that were fed a hard diet. But, when they were fed the soft diet for 4 weeks, bone resorption was seen in the beige mice, but not in the hetero mice. All tested cell activities of the beige mice were significantly lower than those of the hetero mice. The above findings, suggest that there was a correlation between the decreased activity of the inflammatory cells and bone resorption in the mice fed the soft diet.