FACS analysis was used to determine the percent interferon (IFN)-gamma-, interleukin (IL)-4-, IL-10-, and CD30-positive T-cells extracted from adult periodontitis (AP) and healthy/gingivitis (H/G) subjects. Additionally, the percentages of IL-1 beta-, IL-10- and IL-12-producing B-cells and macrophages were ascertained. The percent IL-10+ CD8 cells extracted from AP lesions was decreased compared with H/G tissues (p = 0.033), and the percent CD30+ CD4 (p = 0.001) and CD30+ CD8 (p = 0.028) cells was higher in AP than in H/G tissues. The percentages of IL-1 beta + macrophages (p = 0.003) and IL-12+ B-cells (p = 0.034) were both higher in AP lesions than in H/G tissues. The specific effect of Porphyromonas gingivalis on the cytokine profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from P. gingivalis-infected AP and H/G patients was also determined. While there were no significant differences in the percent cytokine-positive T-cells after stimulation with P. gingivalis outer membrane antigens (OM) for 6 days compared with cells incubated in medium only, the percent CD30+ CD4 cells increased significantly (p = 0.047 and p = 0.063 for AP and H/G groups, respectively). There was also an increase in the percent IL-1 beta + B-cells from AP patients (p = 0.029), and the percent IL-12+ monocytes from AP and H/G subjects was higher than the percent IL-12+ B-cells, both after stimulation with P. gingivalis OM (p = 0.005 for the AP group and p = 0.058 and therefore not quite significant for the H/G group) and when incubated in medium alone (p = 0.016 and p = 0.015 for AP and H/G groups, respectively). This study has shown that IL-10+ CD8 cells may be significant in gingival lesions, and that CD30+ T-cells indicative of Th2 or Th0 cells may play a role in progressive periodontal disease. This study has also shown that B-cells produce IL-1 in the gingival lesion and that P. gingivalis may be significant in the induction of B-cell-induced IL-1.