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Porphyromonas gingivalis as a Model Organism for Assessing Interaction of Anaerobic Bacteria with Host Cells
Published on: December 17, 2015
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Porphyromonas gingivalis affects neutrophil pro-inflammatory activities
Agnieszka Zimny1, Alicja Płonczyńska1,2, Wiktor Jakubowski1
1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.
Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology
|February 12, 2025
Summary
Porphyromonas gingivalis impacts neutrophil function, but not viability, through mechanisms independent of gingipains. Gingipains disrupt immune cell function by increasing reactive oxygen species and inactivating neutrophil elastase.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Immunology
- Oral Health
Background:
- Porphyromonas gingivalis is a key pathogen in periodontal disease.
- Gingipains are major virulence factors, but their role in immune cell dysfunction is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of Porphyromonas gingivalis gingipains on neutrophil viability and function.
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which gingipains affect immune cell responses.
Main Methods:
- Infection of murine HoxB8 and primary human neutrophils with wild-type P. gingivalis, gingipain-null mutants, or bacteria with gingipain inhibitors.
- Flow cytometry to assess neutrophil viability and apoptosis.
- Analysis of reactive oxygen species production and neutrophil elastase activity.
Main Results:
- P. gingivalis affected neutrophil viability independently of gingipain expression.
- Gingipains significantly disrupted immune cell functions, inducing reactive oxygen species and inactivating neutrophil elastase.
- Gingipains modulated IL-8 response but did not alter TNF-α or IL-6 levels.
Conclusions:
- Gingipains are crucial for P. gingivalis-mediated immune cell dysfunction, particularly in neutrophils.
- Gingipain activity contributes to periodontal inflammation by impairing neutrophil function, independent of effects on apoptosis.
