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Updated: May 13, 2026
Induction of Periodontitis via a Combination of Ligature and Lipopolysaccharide Injection in a Rat Model
Published on: February 17, 2023
Lipopolysaccharide-induced indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase expression in the periodontal ligament
J S Moon1, N R Cheong, S Y Yang
1Department of Oral Anatomy, Dental Science Research Institute, School of Dentistry, 2nd stage Brain Korea, Medical Research Center for Biomineralization Disorders, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea.
Background And Objective:
Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is a tryptophan-oxidizing enzyme with immune-inhibitory effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of IDO by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of gram-negative bacteria, in human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells.
Material And Methods:
Human PDL cells and gingival fibroblasts (GFs) were prepared from explants of human PDLs and from gingival tissues of clinically healthy donors, respectively. Real-time RT-PCR, western blotting and the IDO enzyme assay were performed to determine the expression of IDO following LPS treatment of cells. LPS was injected into mice tail veins to evaluate the effects of LPS in vivo in the maxillary first molar. Immunofluorescence staining and histological analysis were followed to localize IDO in mouse PDL.
Results:
The level of expression of IDO mRNA in primary human PDL cells after LPS treatment was increased in a dose-dependent manner, reaching a peak 8 h after LPS treatment. The expression and activities of IDO protein were significantly increased in comparison with those of the control. In addition, the increased production of kynurenine in culture medium was observed 72 h after LPS treatment. In the immunofluorescence findings, stronger immunoreactivities were shown in PDL than in gingival tissues in the maxillae. In accordance with the immunofluorescence findings, LPS treatment induced a strong up-regulation of IDO mRNA in human PDL cells, whereas human GFs showed only a weak response to LPS.
Conclusion:
These results clearly show that IDO was induced by LPS in primary human PDL cells, suggesting that PDL might be involved in the regulation of oral inflammatory disease.
