Atheroprotective nasal immunization with a heat shock protein 60 peptide from Porphyromonas gingivalis

Purpose@#Immunization with Porphyromonas gingivalis heat shock protein 60 (PgHSP60) may have an immunoregulatory effect on atherogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine whether nasal immunization with a PgHSP60 peptide could reduce atherosclerotic plaque formation in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE KO) mice. @*Methods@#Seven-week-old male ApoE KO mice were assigned to receive a normal diet, a Western diet, a Western diet and challenge with PgHSP60-derived peptide 14 (Pep14) or peptide 19 (Pep19), or a Western diet and immunization with Pep14 or Pep19 before challenge with Pep14 or Pep19. @*Results@#Atherosclerotic plaques were significantly smaller in mice that received a Western diet with Pep14 nasal immunization than in mice that received a Western diet and no Pep14 immunization with or without Pep14 challenge. An immunoblot profile failed to detect serum reactivity to Pep14 in any of the study groups. Stimulation by either Pep14 or Pep19 strongly promoted the induction of CD4+CD25+forkhead box P3 (FoxP3)+ human regulatory T cells (Tregs) in vitro. However, the expression of mouse splenic CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs was lower in the Pep14-immunized mice than in the Pep14-challenged or Pep19-immunized mice. Levels of serum interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and transforming growth factor beta were higher and levels of interleukin (IL) 10 were lower in the Pep14-immunized mice than in the other groups. Induction of CD25− IL-17+ T helper 17 (Th17) cells was attenuated in the Pep14-immunized mice. @*Conclusions@#Nasal immunization with Pep14 may be a mechanism for attenuating atherogenesis by promoting the secretion of IFN-γ and/or suppressing Th17-mediated immunity.

Porphyromonas gingivalis accelerates atherosclerosis through oxidation of high-density lipoprotein

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) to induce oxidation of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and to determine whether the oxidized HDL induced by P. gingivalis exhibited altered antiatherogenic function or became proatherogenic. METHODS: P. gingivalis and THP-1 monocytes were cultured, and the extent of HDL oxidation induced by P. gingivalis was evaluated by a thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) assay. To evaluate the altered antiatherogenic and proatherogenic properties of P. gingivalis-treated HDL, lipid oxidation was quantified by the TBARS assay, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels and the gelatinolytic activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 were also measured. After incubating macrophages with HDL and P. gingivalis, Oil Red O staining was performed to examine foam cells. RESULTS: P. gingivalis induced HDL oxidation. The HDL treated by P. gingivalis did not reduce lipid oxidation and may have enhanced the formation of MMP-9 and TNF-α. P. gingivalis-treated macrophages exhibited more lipid aggregates than untreated macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: P. gingivalis induced HDL oxidation, impairing the atheroprotective function of HDL and making it proatherogenic by eliciting a proinflammatory response through its interaction with monocytes/macrophages.

Real-time PCR quantification of 9 periodontal pathogens in saliva samples from periodontally healthy Korean young adults

PURPOSE: Few studies have examined periodontal pathogens from saliva samples in periodontally healthy young adults. The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of periodontopathic bacteria and to quantify periodontal pathogens in saliva samples using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays in periodontally healthy Korean young adults under 35 years of age. METHODS: Nine major periodontal pathogens were analyzed by real-time PCR in saliva from 94 periodontally healthy young adults. Quantification of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Campylobacter rectus, Peptostreptococcus anaerobius, and Eikenella corrodens was performed by DNA copy number measurement. RESULTS: F. nucleatum and E. corrodens were detected in all subjects; the numbers of positive samples were 87 (92.6%), 91 (96.8%), and 90 (95.7%) for P. gingivalis, P. anaerobius, and C. rectus, respectively. Other pathogens were also detected in periodontally healthy subjects. Analysis of DNA copy numbers revealed that the most abundant periodontal pathogen was F. nucleatum, which was significantly more prevalent than all other bacteria (P < 0.001), followed by P. anaerobius, P. gingivalis, E. corrodens, C. rectus, and T. denticola. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of each bacterium between men and women. The DNA copy number of total bacteria was significantly higher in men than in women. CONCLUSIONS: Major periodontal pathogens were prevalent in the saliva of periodontally healthy Korean young adults. Therefore, we suggest that the development of periodontal disease should not be overlooked in periodontally healthy young people, as it can arise due to periodontal pathogen imbalance and host susceptibility.

Simplified nonsurgical treatment of peri-implantitis using chlorhexidine and minocycline hydrochloride

PURPOSE: The present study investigated the outcomes of a newly-developed, simple, and practical nonsurgical treatment modality suitable for most forms of intrabony defects around failing dental implants using intrasulcular delivery of chlorhexidine solution and minocycline hydrochloride (HCl). METHODS: Forty-five dental implants in 20 patients diagnosed with peri-implantitis were included. At baseline and the study endpoint, the probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and the presence of bleeding on probing (BOP) at 6 sites around each implant were recorded. The radiographic osseous defect morphology at the mesial or distal proximal aspect of each implant was classified as 1) narrow or wide and 2) shallow or deep. For a comparative analysis of bone changes according to the defect morphology, the distance from the implant shoulder to the most coronal bone-to-implant contact point (DIB) at the mesial and distal aspects of each implant was measured at baseline and the endpoint. Patients were scheduled to visit the clinic every 2–4 weeks for intrasulcular irrigation of chlorhexidine and delivery of minocycline HCl. RESULTS: We observed statistically significant decreases in PPD, CAL, and BOP after treatment. At the endpoint, bone levels increased in all defects, regardless of the osseous morphology of the intrabony defect. The mean DIB change in deep defects was significantly greater than that in shallow defects. Although the mean bone gain in narrow defects was greater than in wide defects, the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that significant and sustainable improvements in both clinical and radiographic parameters can be expected when intrabony defects around dental implants are managed through a simple nonsurgical approach involving combined intrasulcular chlorhexidine irrigation and local delivery of minocycline HCl.

Clinical and microbiological effects of the supplementary use of an erythritol powder air-polishing device in non-surgical periodontal therapy: a randomized clinical trial

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical and microbiological effects of an erythritol powder air-polishing device (EPAP) as a supplement to scaling and root planing (SRP) therapy in patients with moderate chronic periodontitis. METHODS: Clinical and microbiological evaluations were performed at 21 sites treated with SRP (control) and 21 sites treated with SRP+EPAP (test). All examinations were performed before treatment, 1 month after treatment, and 3 months after treatment. RESULTS: There were no significant clinical differences between the test group and the control group. Microbiological analysis revealed that the relative expression level of Porphyromonas gingivalis was significantly lower in the test group than in the control group at 1 month after treatment. Clinical and microbiological results showed improvements at 1 month compared to baseline; in contrast, the results at 3 months after treatment were worse than those at 1 month after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, both SRP and SRP+EPAP were clinically and microbiologically effective as non-surgical periodontal treatments. In particular, the SRP+EPAP group showed an antimicrobial effect on P. gingivalis, a keystone bacterium associated with the onset of chronic periodontitis, in a short-term period. Periodic periodontal therapy, at intervals of at least every 3 months, is important for sustaining the microbiological effects of this treatment.

Targeting the epitope spreader Pep19 by naïve human CD45RA⁺ regulatory T cells dictates a distinct suppressive T cell fate in a novel form of immunotherapy

PURPOSE: Beyond the limited scope of non-specific polyclonal regulatory T cell (Treg)-based immunotherapy, which depends largely on serendipity, the present study explored a target Treg subset appropriate for the delivery of a novel epitope spreader Pep19 antigen as part of a sophisticated form of immunotherapy with defined antigen specificity that induces immune tolerance. METHODS: Human polyclonal CD4⁺CD25⁺CD127(lo−) Tregs (127-Tregs) and naïve CD4⁺CD25⁺CD45RA⁺ Tregs (45RA-Tregs) were isolated and were stimulated with target peptide 19 (Pep19)-pulsed dendritic cells in a tolerogenic milieu followed by ex vivo expansion. Low-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) and rapamycin were added to selectively exclude the outgrowth of contaminating effector T cells (Teffs). The following parameters were investigated in the expanded antigen-specific Tregs: the distinct expression of the immunosuppressive Treg marker Foxp3, epigenetic stability (demethylation in the Treg-specific demethylated region), the suppression of Teffs, expression of the homing receptors CD62L/CCR7, and CD95L-mediated apoptosis. The expanded Tregs were adoptively transferred into an NOD/scid/IL-2Rγ(−/−) mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis. RESULTS: Epitope-spreader Pep19 targeting by 45RA-Tregs led to an outstanding in vitro suppressive T cell fate characterized by robust ex vivo expansion, the salient expression of Foxp3, high epigenetic stability, enhanced T cell suppression, modest expression of CD62L/CCR7, and higher resistance to CD95L-mediated apoptosis. After adoptive transfer, the distinct fate of these T cells demonstrated a potent in vivo immunotherapeutic capability, as indicated by the complete elimination of footpad swelling, prolonged survival, minimal histopathological changes, and preferential localization of CD4⁺CD25⁺ Tregs at the articular joints in a mechanistic and orchestrated way. CONCLUSIONS: We propose human naïve CD4⁺CD25⁺CD45RA⁺ Tregs and the epitope spreader Pep19 as cellular and molecular targets for a novel antigen-specific Treg-based vaccination against collagen-induced arthritis.

Robust immunoreactivity of teenager sera against peptide 19 from Porphyromonas gingivalis HSP60

PURPOSE: Epitope spreading is a phenomenon in which distinct subdominant epitopes become major targets of the immune response. Heat shock protein (HSP) 60 from Porphyromonas gingivalis (PgHSP60) and peptide 19 from PgHSP60 (Pep19) are immunodominant epitopes in autoimmune disease patients, including those with periodontitis. It remains unclear whether Pep19 is a dominant epitope in subjects without periodontitis or autoimmune disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the epitope spreading pattern and verify Pep19 as an immunodominant epitope in healthy teenagers using dot immunoblot analysis. The patterns of epitope spreading in age-matched patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (type 1 DM) and healthy 20- to 29-year old subjects were compared with those of healthy teenagers. METHODS: Peptide from PgHSP60, Mycobacterium tuberculosis HSP60 (MtHSP60), and Chlamydia pneumoniae HSP60 (CpHSP60) was synthesized for comparative recognition by sera from healthy subjects and patients with autoimmune disease (type 1 DM). Dot immunoblot analysis against a panel of peptides of PgHSP60 and human HSP60 (HuHSP60) was performed to identify epitope spreading, and a densitometric image analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Of the peptide from PgHSP60, MtHSP60, and CpHSP60, PgHSP60 was the predominant epitope and was most consistently recognized by the serum samples of healthy teenagers. Most sera from healthy subjects and patients with type 1 DM reacted more strongly with PgHSP60 and Pep19 than the other peptides. The relative intensity of antibody reactivity to Pep19 was higher in the type 1 DM group than in the healthy groups. CONCLUSIONS: Pep19 is an immunodominant epitope, not only in autoimmune disease patients, but also in healthy young subjects, as evidenced by their robust immunoreactivity. This result suggests that the Pep19-specific immune response may be an initiator that triggers autoimmune diseases.

Pattern analysis of patients with temporomandibular disorders resulting from unilateral mastication due to chronic periodontitis

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to perform a pattern analysis in patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) resulting from unilateral mastication due to chronic periodontitis. METHODS: Thirty participants with signs or symptoms of TMD who engaged in unilateral mastication due to periodontitis-related discomfort (test group) were selected. Another 30 subjects exhibiting signs or symptoms of TMD resulting from unilateral mastication not due to chronic periodontitis (control group) were also recruited. An interview-based questionnaire was administered, and an examination of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with determination of periodontal status was performed. RESULTS: The duration of unilateral mastication was significantly longer in the control group than in the test group. There was a significant negative correlation between the duration of unilateral mastication and the Community Periodontal Index score. Using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD) axis I algorithms, all the subjects were assigned to 3 main groups. The test group exhibited significantly a higher diagnostic distribution of group III (arthralgia, osteoarthritis, or osteoarthrosis), and in both the test and control groups, the number of diagnoses was larger for the non-chewing side. The control group showed a significantly higher diagnostic distribution of group I (myofacial pain), and in both the test and control groups, the number of diagnoses was larger for the chewing side. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study indicate that unilateral mastication due to chronic periodontitis could induce not only pain but also structural TMJ changes if adequate treatment is not administered and supported within a short time from the onset of the condition. Therefore, immediate treatment of chronic periodontitis is recommended to prevent not only the primary progress of periodontal disease, but also secondary TMJ-related problems. Furthermore, subjects who have suffered chronic long-term periodontitis without treatment should be urged to undergo a TMJ examination.

Implant placement simultaneously sinus augmentation using crestal approach in severely atrophic maxilla; minimally invasive approach

The atrophy of edentulous ridge and pneumatization of the maxillary sinus often limit the volume of bone available for implant placement on maxillary posterior teeth. Most clinicians suffer difficulties from poor bone quality and quantity on maxillary posterior site. Thus, the success of maxillary posterior implant surgery depends on the increase of the available bone and obtaining a good initial stability of the implant after maxillary sinus reconstruction. The maxillary sinus augmentation methods include a crestal approach and a lateral approach. Less morbidity and complications after operation is major advantage to sinus augmentation using crestal approach than lateral approach. However, when the residual ridge height is ≥ 6 mm, it is known that crestal approach is appropriate. Also delayed implantation after sinus augmentation is recommended in severely atrophic ridge. We present the three cases of implant placement simultaneously sinus augmentation using crestal approach in posterior maxilla site with ≤ 3 mm of residual alveolar bone.

Spontaneous teeth migration after periodontal treatment in the patients with drug-induced gingival enlargement

Anticonvulsants, calcium channel blockers and immunosuppressants are representative drugs related with gingival enlargement. Clinical signs and symptoms caused by drug-induced gingival enlargment frequently appear within 1 to 3 months after medication. At initial stage, it is limited to attached gingiva but may extend coronally and interfere with esthetics, mastication and speech. Interproximal spaces are common beginning area and pathologic teeth migration could be occurred by the lesion. Withdrawal or substitution of medication would be the most effective treatment of drug-induced gingival enlargement. However, periodontal treatment and further supportive periodontal therapy should be provided where change in medication is impossible. The present study reports the cases which show the resolution of inflammation with spontaneous teeth migration without change in medication. In all cases discussed in this report could be efficiently managed with proper periodontal treatment and further supportive periodontal therapy.

Effect of slow forced eruption on the vertical levels of the interproximal bone and papilla and the width of the alveolar ridge / 대한치과교정학회지

OBJECTIVE: Forced eruption has been proposed for the reconstruction of deficient bone and soft tissue. The aim of this study was to examine the changes in the alveolar ridge width and the vertical levels of the interproximal bone and papilla following forced eruption. METHODS: Patients whose hopeless maxillary anterior teeth were expected to undergo severe bone resorption and soft tissue recession upon extraction were recruited. In addition, patients whose maxillary anterior teeth required forced eruption for restoration due to tooth fracture or dental caries were included. Before and after forced eruption, the interproximal bone height was measured by radiographic analysis, and changes in the alveolar ridge width and the interproximal papilla height were measured with an acrylic stent. RESULTS: This prospective study demonstrated that the levels of the interproximal alveolar bone and papilla were significantly increased by 1.36 mm and 1.09 mm, respectively, in the vertical direction. However, the alveolar ridge width was significantly reduced by an average of 0.67 mm in the buccolingual direction. The changes in the level of the interproximal alveolar bone and papilla were positively correlated. CONCLUSIONS: Although the levels of the interproximal bone and papilla were significantly increased, the alveolar ridge width was significantly decreased following forced eruption. There was a modest positive and significant correlation between the changes in the height of the interproximal alveolar bone and the papilla. Based on our findings, modification of vertical forced eruption should be considered when augmentation of the alveolar ridge width is required.

Effective Management of Acute Necrotizing Ulcerative Gingivitis with Proper Diagnosis and Immediate Treatment

Necrotizing periodontal diseases, especially acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG), it should be noted, occur abruptly and progress rapidly, eventually causing severe soft-tissue and alveolar bone loss. This report presents the cases of two ANUG patients and provides a brief treatment protocol for easy and effective clinical management. After proper diagnosis, sequential treatment with cessation of mechanical brushing, along with a prescription of systemic antibiotics and chlorhexidine as a mouth rinse, scaling, root planing, and supportive periodontal therapy, was utilized. In all cases discussed in this report, there was marked improvement in a few days. ANUG, though an uncommon disease, can be efficiently managed with proper diagnosis and immediate treatment.

Effect of root planing on the reduction of probing depth and the gain of clinical attachment depending on the mode of interproximal bone resorption

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of root planing on the reduction of probing pocket depth and the gain of clinical attachment depending on the pattern of bone resorption (vertical versus horizontal bone loss) in the interproximal aspect of premolar teeth that showed an initial probing pocket depth of 4-6 mm. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed 68 teeth (15 from the maxilla and 53 from the mandible) from 32 patients with chronic periodontitis (17 men and 15 women; mean age, 53.6 years). The probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level at all six sites around each tooth were recorded before treatment to establish a baseline value, and then three months and six months after root planing. RESULTS: The reduction in interdental pocket depth was 1.1 mm in teeth that experienced horizontal bone loss and 0.7 mm in teeth that experienced vertical bone loss. Interdental attachment was increased by 1.0 mm in teeth with horizontal bone loss and by 0.7 mm in teeth with vertical bone loss. The reduction of probing pocket depth and the gain of clinical attachment occurred regardless of defect patterns three and six months after root planing. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction of pocket depth and gain in the clinical attachment level were significantly larger in horizontally patterned interproximal bone defects than in vertical bone defects.

Prediction of the alveolar bone level after the extraction of maxillary anterior teeth with severe periodontitis

PURPOSE: After extraction, the alveolar bone tends to undergo atrophy in three-dimensions. The amount of alveolar bone loss in the horizontal dimension has been reported to be greater than the amount of bone loss in the vertical dimension, and is most pronounced in the buccal aspect. The aim of this study was to monitor the predictive alveolar bone level following the extraction of anterior teeth seriously involved with advanced chronic periodontitis. METHODS: This study included 25 patients with advanced chronic periodontitis, whose maxillary anterior teeth had been extracted due to extensive attachment loss more than one year before the study. Periapical radiographs were analyzed to assess the vertical level of alveolar bone surrounding the edentulous area. An imaginary line connecting the mesial and the distal ends of the alveolar crest facing the adjacent tooth was arbitrarily created. Several representative coordinates were established in the horizontal direction, and the vertical distance from the imaginary line to the alveolar crest was measured at each coordinate for each patient using image analysis software. Regression functions predicting the vertical level of the alveolar bone in the maxillary anterior edentulous area were identified for each patient. RESULTS: The regression functions demonstrated a tendency to converge to parabolic shapes. The predicted maximum distance between the imaginary line and the alveolar bone calculated using the regression function was 1.43+/-0.65 mm. No significant differences were found between the expected and actual maximum distances. Likewise, the predicted and actual maximum horizontal distances did not show any significant differences. The distance from the alveolar bone crest to the imaginary lines was not influenced by the mesio-distal spans of the edentulous area. CONCLUSIONS: After extraction, the vertical level of the alveolar ridge increased to become closer to the reference line connecting the mesial and distal alveolar crests.

Human CD103+ dendritic cells promote the differentiation of Porphyromonas gingivalis heat shock protein peptide-specific regulatory T cells

PURPOSE: Regulatory T cells (Tregs), expressing CD4 and CD25 as well as Foxp3, are known to play a pivotal role in immunoregulatory function in autoimmune diseases, cancers, and graft rejection. Dendritic cells (DCs) are considered the major antigen-presenting cells (APCs) for initiating these T-cell immune responses, of which CD103+ DCs are derived from precursor human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the capacity of these PBMC-derived CD103+ DCs to promote the differentiation of antigen-specific Tregs. METHODS: Monocyte-derived DCs were induced from CD14+ monocytes from the PBMCs of 10 healthy subjects. Once the CD103+ DCs were purified, the cell population was enriched by adding retinoic acid (RA). Peptide numbers 14 and 19 of Porphyromonas gingivalis heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) were synthesized to pulse CD103+ DCs as a tool for presenting the peptide antigens to stimulate CD3+ T cells that were isolated from human PBMC. Exogenous interleukin 2 was added as a coculture supplement. The antigen-specific T-cell lines established were phenotypically identified for their expression of CD4, CD25, or Foxp3. RESULTS: When PBMCs were used as APCs, they demonstrated only a marginal capacity to stimulate peptide-specific Tregs, whereas CD103+ DCs showed a potent antigen presenting capability to promote the peptide-specific Tregs, especially for peptide 14. RA enhanced the conversion of CD103+ DCs, which paralleled the antigen-specific Treg-stimulating effect, though the differences failed to reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that CD103+ DCs can promote antigen-specific Tregs from naive T cells, when used as APCs for an epitope peptide from P. gingivalis HSP60. RA was an effective reagent that induces mature DCs with the typical phenotypic expression of CD103 that demonstrated the functional capability to promote antigen-specific Tregs.

Endodontic treatment enhances the regenerative potential of teeth with advanced periodontal disease with secondary endodontic involvement

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify a role for endodontic intervention in enhancing the regenerative potential of the periodontal ligament when combined with periodontal treatment in seriously involved teeth with a secondary endodontic component. METHODS: Patients who exhibited radiolucency extending to the periapical region, abnormal electric pulp testing values, and deep probing depth derived from primary periodontal disease with secondary endodontic involvement were included. Intentional root canal treatment was applied to those teeth in which the apical lesions were presumed to communicate with those of the periodontal lesion of the teeth that remained vital. In all three selected cases, regenerative periodontal therapy incorporating either bone graft or guided tissue regeneration was instituted 3 months after the endodontic intervention. RESULTS: Remarkable enhancement in radiographic density was noticeable around the affected teeth as evidenced by changes in radiopacity. There was a significant reduction in the probing pocket depth and gain in the clinical attachment level. Chewing discomfort gradually disappeared from the commencement of the combined treatment. CONCLUSIONS: An intentional endodontic intervention may be a worthwhile approach for the sophisticated management of teeth suffering from serious attachment loss and alveolar bone destruction with concomitant secondary endodontic involvement.

Identification of mono- or poly-specific monoclonal antibody to Porphyromonas gingivalis heat-shock protein 60

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to define the immunoreactive specificity of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) heat shock protein (HSP) 60 in periodontitis and atherosclerosis. METHODS: In an attempt to define the cross-reactive bacterial heat-shock protein with human self-antigen at molecular level, we have introduced a novel strategy for cloning hybridoma producing anti-P. gingivalis HSP 60 which is polyreactive to bacterial HSPs or to the human homolog. RESULTS: Five cross-reactive clones were obtained which recognized the #19 peptide (TLVVNRLRGSLKICAVKAPG) among 37 synthetic peptides (20-mer, 5 amino acids overlapping) spanning the whole molecule of P. gingivalis HSP 60. We have also established three anti-P. gingivalis HSP 60 monoclonal antibodies demonstrating mono-specificity. These clones recognized the #29 peptide (TVPGGGTTYIRAIAALEGLK). CONCLUSIONS: Peptide #19 and #29 of P. gingivalis HSP 60 might be important immunoreactive epitopes in the immunopathogenic mechanism of bacterial antigen-triggered autoimmune diseases.

The road less traveled

No abstract available.

Adoptive transfer of Porphyromonas gingivalis heat shock protein epitope-specific T-cell lines into SCID mice in experimental atherosclerosis / 대한치주과학회지

Bacterial heat shock protein has been one of the components that are responsible to induce autoimmune disease mechanisms in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis due to high level of homology in sequence with human counterpart. This mechanism may explain how bacterial infectious disease, such as periodontal disease, might contribute to the acceleration of the disease process of atherosclerosis. Porphyromonas gingivalis which is a major periodontal pathogenic bacterial species, has been implicated as one of the pathogenic bacteria playing the role in this context. The present study has been performed to evaluate the anti-atherosclerotic effect of adoptive transfer of Porphyromonas gingivalis heat shock protein epitope-specific T cell lines into severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice. Peptide no. 15 with amino acid sequence VKEVASKTNDspecific T cell line was selected for the transfer. When experimental atherosclerosis was induced in SCID mice adoptively transferred either by the T cell lines (experimental group) or by non-specific mouse T cells (control group), there was no significant difference in the severity and extent of the atherosclerosis induced by hypercholesterol diet.

Fusobacterium nucleatum modulates serum binding to Porphyromonas gingivalis biofilm / 대한치주과학회지

No abstract available.