Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 27, 2026
In Situ Detection of Bacteria within Paraffin-embedded Tissues Using a Digoxin-labeled DNA Probe Targeting 16S rRNA
Published on: May 21, 2015
Periodontal Bacteria Proteomics in Thrombi from Ischemic Stroke Patients
Florencia Gayo1, Susana Bravo2, Jorge Moldes1,3
1Unit of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry and Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela and Medical-Surgical Dentistry Research Group (OMEQUI), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Rúa Entrerríos S/N, Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Spain.
Obejective:
To characterize periodontal bacterial proteins in ischemic stroke thrombi and explore differences according to stroke etiology.
Methods:
Thrombotic samples were obtained from nine severe periodontal patients with acute ischemic stroke (large-artery atherosclerosis, cardioembolic and undetermined source; 3 patients per stroke subtype) during mechanical thrombectomy. Samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Quantitative proteomic profiling was performed by sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra (SWATH-MS), focusing on proteins from five periodontal bacteria: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola. Protein expression was compared across thrombus etiologies, and differentially expressed proteins were further analyzed in silico to explore their functions and interactions.
Results:
A total of 136 bacterial proteins were quantified, predominantly from A. actinomycetemcomitans (112). Sixteen proteins showed differential expression (p < 0.05), mainly from this species. These were primarily associated with transcription, translation, and stress response mechanisms, including oxidative stress resistance. Few proteins from other species were differentially expressed, mostly related to structural and basic metabolic functions, except for a collagenase from T. forsythia in large-artery atherosclerosis stroke thrombi.
Conclusions:
SWATH-MS-based proteomic analysis revealed the presence of periodontal bacterial proteins in ischemic stroke thrombi, with a predominance of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.
