Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 8, 2026

Porphyromonas gingivalis as a Model Organism for Assessing Interaction of Anaerobic Bacteria with Host Cells
Published on: December 17, 2015
Bifidobacterium longum inhibits Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans- associated gingival epithelial ferroptosis and
Xiaojiao Sun1,2,3, Zehui Wang4, Dan Qiu3
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, People's Republic of China.
Background:
Periodontal pathogens disrupt the gingival epithelial barrier, but the molecular links among junctional damage, ferroptosis, and inflammation remain unclear.
Objective:
To investigate whether Bifidobacterium longum (BL) counteracts Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa)-induced junctional injury via regulation of ferroptosis in human gingival epithelial cells (HGECs).
Design:
Oral microbiota differences between periodontitis patients and healthy controls were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing, combined with GSE16134 bioinformatics analysis. HGECs were exposed to Aa (1 × 10⁴ CFU/ml) and treated with BL (1 × 10⁸ CFU/ml) or ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1, 2 μM). Cell viability, mitochondrial morphology, ROS, junction proteins (CDH1, CLDN1), ferroptosis markers (SLC7A11, GPX4, NFE2L2), and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, TNF) were assessed.
Results:
Bioinformatics revealed enrichment of junction-related pathways associated with ferroptosis. Aa induced mitochondrial damage, ROS accumulation, suppression of ferroptosis-protective signaling and junction proteins, and pro-inflammatory cytokine imbalance. BL significantly restored mitochondrial integrity, ferroptosis-related signaling, epithelial junctions, and inflammatory homeostasis, with effects comparable to or exceeding Fer-1.
Conclusion:
Aa disrupts gingival epithelial integrity through ferroptosis-mediated oxidative and inflammatory damage. BL effectively suppresses this cascade and protects epithelial junctions, highlighting its therapeutic potential for periodontitis.
Related Concept Videos
Biofilms
Bacterial Phylum Bacteroidota
Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria
Cytoskeletal Proteins in Bacteria
Antimicrobial Proteins
Interferons
Interferons (IFNs) are proteins produced by lymphocytes, macrophages, and fibroblasts infected with viruses. While IFNs cannot prevent viruses from entering and...
Bacterial Phylum Firmicutes

