Abstract
Diacylglycerol, a physiological activator of protein kinase C, was elevated nearly twofold in unstimulated peripheral blood neutrophils from patients with localized juvenile periodontitis compared with cells from normal individuals. These cells also showed an enhanced and prolonged elevation of diglyceride in response to N-formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine. The metabolism of a cell-permeant diacylglycerol by diglyceride kinase was significantly decreased, because of a fivefold or higher elevation in the apparent Km of cellular diglyceride kinase.