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Porphyromonas gingivalis as a Model Organism for Assessing Interaction of Anaerobic Bacteria with Host Cells
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Porphyromonas gingivalis as a Model Organism for Assessing Interaction of Anaerobic Bacteria with Host Cells

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Porphyromonas gingivalis Capsule-Mediated Coaggregation as a Virulence Factor in Mixed Infection With Fusobacterium

David Polak1, Oren Ferdman1, Yael Houri-Haddad2

  • 1Department of Periodontology, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Faculty of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.

Journal of Periodontology
|November 26, 2016
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

The Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) capsule enhances virulence in mixed infections with Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn). This capsule promotes bacterial invasion and contributes to severe periodontal disease.

Area of Science:

  • Oral microbiology
  • Bacterial pathogenesis
  • Periodontal disease research

Background:

  • Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) capsule aids immune evasion and survival.
  • Capsule mediates coaggregation in mixed infections, increasing virulence.
  • This study investigates the Pg capsule's role in mixed infections with Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the Pg capsule as a virulence factor in coaggregated mixed infections with Fn.
  • To understand the capsule's contribution to disease severity in polymicrobial infections.

Main Methods:

  • Comparing mixed infections with capsulated and non-capsulated Pg strains in a murine periodontitis model.
  • Utilizing lactose as a coaggregation inhibitor.
  • Assessing disease severity, polymorphonuclear leukocyte phagocytosis, and keratinocyte invasion.

Main Results:

  • Capsulated Pg in mixed infections significantly increased alveolar bone loss compared to non-capsulated strains.
  • Lactose attenuated bone loss with capsulated Pg but intensified it with non-capsulated Pg.
  • Capsulated Pg showed enhanced keratinocyte invasion, while non-capsulated Pg experienced increased Fn phagocytosis evasion.

Conclusions:

  • The Pg capsule is a critical virulence factor in mixed infections with Fn.
  • Capsule-mediated coaggregation enhances Pg invasion and contributes to severe periodontal disease.
  • Understanding capsule function is key to targeting polymicrobial virulence.
Keywords:
Allergy and immunologyhost-parasite interactions

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