Cell phenotyping in saliva of individuals under psychological stress

Total leukocytes, NK cells, B and T lymphocytes present in the saliva of medical students with or without stress were quantified by flow cytometry in 10,000 events. The symptoms of psychological stress were monitored with Lipp’s Inventory of Stress Symptoms for Adults (ISSL). No significant differences were observed in the number of cells phenotyped in students with and those without psychological stress. However, a negative correlation was observed between the number of NK cells and T lymphocytes in students with stress (r = −0.8173; p = 0.0058), suggesting that innate immunity is predominant in the adaptation phase.