The relationship between polysaccharide antigen and interleukin-1 beta producing activity in Porphyromonas gingivalis

Strains of Porphyromonas gingivalis were serologically classified into three groups (a, b, and c) by immunodiffusion test using the autoclave extracted antigens. All tested strains had proteolytic activity, but the activity differed from strain to strain, regardless of serogroup. It was found that serogroup a strains had more collagenolytic activity than did serogroup b (p < 0.05), but that the three groups have no remarkable differences in trypsin activity. All autoclave extracted serogroup-specific antigens induced the release of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) from human peripheral monocytes. Serogroup-specific antigen of an invasive strain designated 16-1 (serogroup b) induced the highest release of IL-1 beta among all samples. The results of immunoblotting tests and IL-1 beta production indicated that there are serogroup-specific polysaccharide other than lipopolysaccharide in P. gingivalis.