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Human beta defensin-3 (HβD-3) is a host-defense protein exhibiting antibacterial activity towards both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. There is considerable interest in the function of this protein due to its increased salt tolerance and activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. In this study, analogs of HβD-3 devoid of N and C terminal regions are investigated to determine the influence of specific structural motif on antimicrobial activity and selectivity between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Circular dichroism, fluorescence and solid-state NMR experiments have been used to investigate the conformation and mode of action of HβD3 analogs with various model membranes to mimic bacterial inner and outer membranes and also mammalian membranes. Our studies specifically focused on determining four major characteristics: (i) interaction of HβD3 analogs with phospholipid vesicles composed of zwitterionic PC or anionic PE:PG vesicles and LPS; (ii) conformation of HβD3-peptide analogs in the presence of PC or PE:PG vesicles; (iii) ability of HβD3 analogs to permeate phospholipid vesicles composed of PC or PE:PG; and (iv) activities on bacteria cells and erythrocytes. Our results infer that the linear peptide L25P and its cyclic form C25P are more active than L21P and C21P analogs. However, they are less active than the parent peptide, thus pointing towards the importance of the N terminal domain in its biological activity. The variation in the activities of L21P/C21P and L25P/C25P also suggest the importance of the positively charged residues at the C terminus in providing selectivity particularly to Gram-negative bacteria.

Induction of endotoxin tolerance leads to a reduced inflammatory response after repeated challenge by LPS and is important for resolution of inflammation and prevention of tissue damage. Enterobacterial LPS is recognized by the TLR4 signaling complex, whereas LPS of some non-enterobacterial organisms is capable of signaling independently of TLR4 utilizing TLR2-mediated signal transduction instead. In this study we report that Porphyromonas gingivalis LPS, a TLR2 agonist, fails to induce a fully endotoxin tolerant state in a human monocytic cell line (THP-1) and mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages. In contrast to significantly decreased production of human IL-8 and TNF-α and, in mice, keratinocyte-derived cytokine (KC), macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), and TNF-α after repeated challenge with Escherichia coli LPS, cells repeatedly exposed to P. gingivalis LPS responded by producing less TNF-α but sustained elevated secretion of IL-8, KC, and MIP-2. Furthermore, in endotoxin-tolerant cells, production of IL-8 is controlled at the signaling level and correlates well with NF-κB activation, whereas TNF-α expression is blocked at the gene transcription level. Interferon β plays an important role in attenuation of chemokine expression in endotoxin-tolerized cells as shown in interferon regulatory factor-3 knock-out mice. In addition, human gingival fibroblasts, commonly known not to display LPS tolerance, were found to be tolerant to repeated challenge by LPS if pretreated with interferon β. The data suggest that the inability of the LPS-TLR2 complex to induce full endotoxin tolerance in monocytes/macrophages is related to diminished production of interferon β and may partly explain the involvement of these LPS isoforms in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases.

The purpose of this study was to determine the role of saliva-derived biomarkers and periodontal pathogens during periodontal disease progression (PDP). One hundred human participants were recruited into a 12-month investigation. They were seen bi-monthly for saliva and clinical measures and bi-annually for subtraction radiography, serum and plaque biofilm assessments. Saliva and serum were analyzed with protein arrays for 14 pro-inflammatory and bone turnover markers, while qPCR was used for detection of biofilm. A hierarchical clustering algorithm was used to group study participants based on clinical, microbiological, salivary/serum biomarkers, and PDP. Eighty-three individuals completed the six-month monitoring phase, with 39 [corrected] exhibiting PDP, while 44 [corrected] demonstrated stability. Participants assembled into three clusters based on periodontal pathogens, serum and salivary biomarkers. Cluster 1 members displayed high salivary biomarkers and biofilm; 71% [corrected] of these individuals were undergoing PDP. Cluster 2 members displayed low biofilm and biomarker levels; 76% [corrected] of these individuals were stable. Cluster 3 members were not discriminated by PDP status; however, cluster stratification followed groups 1 and 2 based on thresholds of salivary biomarkers and biofilm pathogens. The association of cluster membership to PDP was highly significant (p < 0.0007). [corrected] The use of salivary and biofilm biomarkers offers potential for the identification of PDP or stability (ClinicalTrials.gov number, CT00277745).

Chaperones are molecules found in all cells and are critical in stabilization of synthesized proteins, in repair/removal of defective proteins, and as immunodominant antigens in innate and adaptive immunity. Subjects with gingivitis colonized by the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis previously demonstrated levels of anti-human chaperone Hsp90 that were highest in individuals with the best oral health. We hypothesized that similar antibodies to pathogen chaperones might be protective in periodontitis. This study examined the relationship between antibodies to P. gingivalis HtpG and clinical statuses of healthy and periodontitis-susceptible subjects. We measured the humoral responses (immunoglobulin G [IgG], IgA, and IgM) to peptides of a unique insert (P18) found in Bacteroidaceae HtpG by using a high-throughput, quantitative fluorescence enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Indeed, higher levels of IgG class anti- P. gingivalis HtpG P18 peptide ( P < 0.05) and P18α, consisting of the N-terminal 16 amino acids of P18 ( P < 0.05), were associated with better oral health; these results were opposite of those found with anti- P. gingivalis whole-cell antibodies and levels of the bacterium in the subgingival biofilm. When we examined the same sera for IgA and IgM class antibodies, we found no significant relationship to subject clinical status. The relationship between anti-P18 levels and clinical populations and individual subjects was found to be improved when we normalized the anti-P18α values to those for anti-P18γ (the central 16 amino acids of P18). That same ratio correlated with the improvement in tissue attachment gain after treatment ( P < 0.05). We suggest that anti- P. gingivalis HtpG P18α antibodies are protective in periodontal disease and may have prognostic value for guidance of individual patient treatment.

Background Bacterocins are antimicrobial peptides produced by bacteria with a relatively narrow range of activity against closely related organisms. Subtilosin A is a bacteriocin produced by Bacillus subtilis that has activity against Listeria monocytogenes, which might indicate antimicrobial activity unusual for bacteriocins. Objectives To examine the antimicrobial activity and factors affecting the activity of subtilosin A against a range of potentially pathogenic bacteria. Methods The peptide was purified from cultures of B. subtilis and the MIC determined for 18 species of bacteria using a microdilution methodology. The extent of capsule formation was determined using microscopic examination of cells mounted in India ink. Protease mutants of a susceptible bacteria and mild heat shock were used to examine the effect of environmental stress on subtilosin A activity. Results Subtilosin A proved to have antimicrobial activity against a wide range of bacteria including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and both aerobes and anaerobes. The peptide was less effective against capsulated forms of two Gram-negative bacteria than the non-capsulated strains of either. Heat shock but not protease activity also altered the effectiveness of the bacteriocin. Conclusions Subtilosin A has limited antimicrobial activity against a number of human pathogens which, combined with its relative ineffectiveness against some capsulated pathogens, may limit its usefulness as a human therapeutic.

Tachyplesin I is a cyclic beta-sheet antimicrobial peptide isolated from the hemocytes of Tachypleus tridentatus. The four cysteine residues in tachyplesin I play a structural role in imparting amphipathicity to the peptide which has been shown to be essential for its activity. We investigated the role of amphipathicity using an analogue of tachyplesin I (TP-I), CDT (KWFRVYRGIYRRR-NH(2)), in which all four cysteines were deleted. Like TP-I, CDT shows antimicrobial activity and disrupts Escherichia coli outer membrane and model membranes mimicking bacterial inner membranes at micromolar concentrations. The CDT peptide does not cause hemolysis up to 200 microg/mL while TP-I showed about 10% hemolysis at 100 microg/mL and about 25% hemolysis at 150 microg/mL. Peptide-into-lipid titrations under isothermal conditions reveal that the interaction of CDT with lipid membranes is an enthalpy-driven process. Binding assays performed using fluorometry demonstrate that the peptide CDT binds and inserts into only negatively charged membranes. The peptide-induced thermotropic phase transition of MLVs formed of DMPC and the DMPC/DMPG (7:3) mixture suggests specific lipid-peptide interactions. The circular dichroism study shows that the peptide exists as an unordered structure in an aqueous buffer and adopts a more ordered beta-structure upon binding to negatively charged membrane. The NMR data suggest that CDT binding to negatively charged bilayers induces a change in the lipid headgroup conformation with the lipid headgroup moving out of the bilayer surface toward the water phase, and therefore, a barrel stave mechanism of membrane disruption is unlikely as the peptide is located near the headgroup region of lipids. The lamellar phase (31)P chemical shift spectra observed at various concentrations of the peptide in bilayers suggest that the peptide may function neither via fragmentation of bilayers nor by promoting nonlamellar structures. NMR and fluorescence data suggest that the presence of cholesterol inhibits the peptide binding to the bilayers. These properties help to explain that cysteine residues may not contribute to antimicrobial activity and that the loss of hemolytic activity is due to lack of hydrophobicity and amphipathicity.

Background/aims: The etiologic relationship between periodontitis and Porphyromonas gingivalis is attributed to the ability of the organism to express a variety of virulence factors, many of which are cell surface components including lipopolysaccharide and arginine-specific cysteine proteases (Arg-gingipains, RgpA, and RgpB). P. gingivalis responds to the stress of rapid elevation in temperature by activating a set of genes to produce heat shock proteins that mediate the effects of sudden changes in environmental temperatures by repairing or eliminating cellular proteins denatured by that stress. Methods: We used restriction fragment differential display (RFDD) to identify and measure the genes expressed by surrogates of environmental stresses, heat and oxidative stress. The results were then confirmed using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: We selected 16 genes differentially induced from over 800 total expression fragments on the RFDD gels for further characterization. With primers designed from those fragments we found that a + 5°C heat shock caused a statistically significant increase in expression compared 12 of 18 untreated genes tested. The exposure of P. gingivalis to atmospheric oxygen resulted in statistically significant increases in five of the target genes. These genes are likely involved in transport and synthesis of components of the lipopolysaccharide biosynthetic pathway important in anchoring the Arg-gingipains required for virulence-related activities. Conclusion: These results emphasize the need for studies to measure the coordinated responses of bacteria like P. gingivalis which use a multitude of interrelated metabolic activities to survive the environmental hazards of the infection process.

Earlier studies suggested that specific immunoreactive domains of the prokaryotic homologue of Hsp90, HtpG, might contribute to the virulence of the periodontal pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) [J. Periodontol. 70 (1999) 1185]. Since serum antibodies to this protein appeared to be associated with oral health, we developed a rapid epitope-mapping system that could be tailored to detect antibodies against specific immunoreactive regions of the Pg HtpG protein. This paper describes the use of Caulobacter crescentus (Cc) and the creation of a Cc RsaA fusion protein library that defined specific regions of the Pg HtpG protein. The fusion protein library was used to identify immunoreactive regions in the Pg HtpG dominant in patient and control sera. The development of methods to rapidly localize dominant immunoreactive regions in protein antigens may prove useful for the development of screening tests, vaccines and therapeutics in periodontal and other infectious diseases.

Our previous reports implicated the Hsp90 homologue (HtpG) of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) in its virulence in periodontal disease. We investigated the role of the HtpG stress protein in the virulence of Pg. This report describes the (i) expression of a recombinant Pg HtpG (rHtpG), (ii) generation and characterization of a polyclonal rabbit anti-Pg rHtpG antiserum, and (iii) construction of a Pg htpG isogenic mutant and evaluation of the growth, adherence and invasion properties compared to the wild-type parental strain. The disruption of the htpG gene did not significantly affect growth, and had no effect on Pg adherence to and invasion of cultured human cells.

Human prostate cancers (PCa) express great variability in their ability to metastasize to bone. The identification of molecules associated with aggressive phenotypes will help to define PCa subsets and will ultimately lead to better treatment strategies. The chemokine stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1 or CXCL12) and its receptor CXCR4 are now known to modulate the migration and survival of an increasing array of normal and malignant cell types including breast, pancreatic cancers, glioblastomas, and others. The present investigation extends our previous investigations by determining the expression of CXCR4 and CXCL12 in humans using high-density tissue microarrays constructed from clinical samples obtained from a cohort of over 600 patients. These data demonstrate that CXCR4 protein expression is significantly elevated in localized and metastastic cancers. At the RNA level, human PCa tumors also express CXCR4 and message, but overall, they were not significantly different suggesting post-transcriptional regulation of the receptor plays a major role in regulating protein expression. Similar observations were made for CXCL12 message, but in this case more CXCL12 message was expressed by metastastic lesions as compared to normal tissues. PCa cell lines also express CXCL12 mRNA, and regulate mRNA expression in response to CXCL12 and secrete biologically active protein. Furthermore, neutralizing antibody to CXCL12 decreased the proliferation of bone homing LNCaP C4-2B and PC3 metastastic tumor cells. These investigations provide important new information pertaining to the molecular basis of how tumors may 'home' to bone, and the mechanisms that may account for their growth in selected end organs.

The primary objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of 8 putative periodontal pathogens in subjects with early-onset periodontitis (EOP) and to evaluate the microbial differences between localized and generalized forms of this periodontal disease condition. Thirty-one females and 11 males with a mean age of 30.3 (s.d. 4.0) years were examined. Seventeen subjects had generalized (GEOP) and 25 had localized early-onset periodontitis (LEOP). Subgingival plaque samples were assayed using PCR which provided subject prevalence data for the pathogens; Bacteroides forsythus 78.6%, Treponema denticola 88.1%, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans 19.0%, Porphyromonas gingivalis 16.7%, Prevotella intermedia 40.4%, Prevotella nigrescens 61.9%, Eikenella corrodens 42.3% and Campylobacter rectus 92.8%. Only 3 healthy sites harbored one or more of these periodontal pathogens. Seven of the 8 subjects positive for A. actinomycetemcomitans had LEOP. P. intermedia was present in 58.8% of GEOP compared with 28% of LEOP subjects (p=0.046). At 82.4% of GEOP sites P. nigrescens was present while this bacteria was detected at 52% of LEOP (p=0.044). P. gingivalis was isolated from 22.6% of females but no male subjects (p=0.084). C. rectus was recovered from all female subjects compared to 72.7% of males (p=0.014). A. actinomycetemcomitans (37.5%) and C. rectus (86.5%) were more frequently identified in non-smokers compared to 7.6% and 68.8% of smokers, respectively (p

Our objective was to compare three methods (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA], endpoint and quantitative polymerase chain reaction [E-PCR and Q-PCR]) for detection and quantitation of Bacteroides forsythus in 56 plaque samples from seven subjects with progressive periodontal disease. Samples collected in buffer were pelleted and resuspended in 500 microl of water. Fifty microl aliquots were removed for an ELISA performed on bacteria or plaque immobilized on 96-well plates and probed with B. forsythus specific antibody. An occurrence of 3.7+/-0.6 x 10(4) or more bacteria were detected by ELISA in pure culture; 26 of 54 plaque samples were positive, two samples could not be analyzed. Samples for PCR were autoclaved for 10 min prior to use. The detection level of E-PCR using primers specific for B. forsythus 16S rRNA was 200 cells and 42 out of 56 samples were positive based on ethidium bromide stained agarose gels. Q-PCR using the same primers combined with a nested fluorescent oligonucleotide probe detected 10+/-0.32 bacteria in pure culture; 43 of 56 plaque samples were positive. The ELISA and Q-PCR obtained identical results with 36 of the 54 samples assayed; there were one false positive and 17 false negative ELISA results using Q-PCR as standard. The positive proportions of plaque samples were almost the same for E-PCR and Q-PCR. We conclude that the PCR methods are more appropriate for a multicenter study because of greater sensitivity and convenience of sample transportation from clinics to a central laboratory.

We previously reported an association between elevated serum antibody titers to the 90-kDa human heat shock protein (Hsp90), periodontal health and colonization by Porphyromonas gingivalis. In this study, we examined the cellular localization of the Hsp90 homologue of P. gingivalis. Cultures of P. gingivalis were heat-stressed (45 degrees C) and examined for localization of the Hsp90 homologue. Heat stress induced a 4-5-fold increase in anti-Hsp90 antibody reactivity over that of the unstressed controls. Western blot analysis revealed two bands (44 and 68 kDa) that reacted with anti-Hsp90 antibodies. The 68-kDa band was heat-inducible, while the 44-kDa band was not. Immunogold staining revealed that the Hsp90 homologue localized principally to the membrane and extracellular vesicles. Subcellular fractionation confirmed that the Hsp90 homologue was primarily membrane-associated.

There is evidence that microbial heat shock (stress) proteins (Hsp) are immunodominant antigens of many microorganisms. Immunity to these proteins has been shown in non-oral infections to contribute to protection. This study was undertaken to assess the relationship(s) between immunity to human and microbial heat shock proteins, periodontal disease status, and colonization by periodontal disease-associated microorganisms.Subgingival plaque and blood samples obtained from 198 patients during an earlier clinical study were examined for the presence of specific periodontal disease-associated microorganisms and antibodies to selected human and microbial heat shock proteins (Hsp70, Hsp90, DnaK, and GroEL). Particle concentration immunofluorescence assay (PCFIA) was used to detect anti-Hsp antibodies and slot immunoblot assay (SIB) was used to detect subgingival plaque species. Regression models were used to examine the contribution of age, gender, gingival index, probing depth, attachment loss, calculus index, plaque index, and microbial colonization to the anti-Hsp antibody concentrations.Our studies demonstrated that, when evaluated by ANOVA, patients with higher anti-Hsp (Hsp90, DnaK, and GroEL) antibody concentrations tended to have significantly (Por =0.05) healthier periodontal tissues. This was most obvious when the relationship between mean probing depths and antibody concentrations were studied. For Hsp90 antibodies, 2 variables (probing depth and P. gingivalis concentration) were found to have significant contributions (R = 0.293, P0.0002). The equation derived from the regression model was y = 12558-2070*PD +1842*PG. This confirmed the inverse relationship with probing depth and the positive relationship with colonization by P. gingivalis. Attempts to model the other stress protein antibodies were not successful.We believe that the present observations reflect the presence of protective anti-Hsp antibodies, rather than simply the presence of the microorganism in the gingival sulcus. The clinical significance of these observations lies in the potential of identifying patients who are at risk for developing periodontal disease based on their inability to mount an immune response to specific Hsp or Hsp epitopes, as well as the development of vaccines based on Hsp epitopes.

OBJECTIVE: Regulators of peri-implant bone loss in patients with diabetes appear to involve multiple risk factors that have not been clearly elucidated. This study was conducted to explore putative local etiologic factors on implant bone loss in relation to type 2 diabetes mellitus, including clinical, microbial, salivary biomarker, and psychosocial factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two subjects (divided into type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-diabetic controls), having at least one functional implant and six teeth, were enrolled in a 1-year longitudinal investigation. Analyses of clinical measurements and standardized intra-oral radiographs, saliva and serum biomarkers (via protein arrays for 20 selected markers), and plaque biofilm (via qPCR for eight periodontal pathogens) were performed at baseline and 1 year. In addition, the subjects were asked to respond to questionnaires to assess behavioral and psychosocial variables. RESULTS: There was a significant increase from baseline to 1 year in the probing depth of implants in the diabetes group (1.95 mm to 2.35 mm, P = 0.015). The average radiographic bone loss during the study period marginally increased at dental implants compared to natural teeth over the study period (0.08 mm vs. 0.05 mm; P = 0.043). The control group harbored higher levels of Treponema denticola at their teeth at baseline (P = 0.046), and the levels of the pathogen increased significantly over time around the implants of the same group (P = 0.003). Salivary osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels were higher in the diabetes group than the control group at baseline only; in addition, the salivary levels of IL-4, IL-10, and OPG associated with host defense were significantly reduced in the diabetes group (P = 0.010, P = 0.019, and P = 0.024), while controls showed an increase in the salivary OPG levels (P = 0.005). For psychosocial factors, there were not many significant changes over the observation period, except for some findings related to coping behaviors at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that the clinical, microbiological, salivary biomarker, and psychosocial profiles of dental implant patients with type 2 diabetes who are under good metabolic control and regular maintenance care are very similar to those of non-diabetic individuals. Future studies are warranted to validate the findings in longer-term and larger clinical trials (ClinicalTrials.gov # NCT00933491).

The purpose of this multisite, multioperator, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial was to evaluate 2-year outcomes of diluted formocresol (DFC) compared to gray mineral trioxide aggregate (GMTA) as pulpotomy medicaments.Following the standard pulpotomy procedure, the pulp stumps of 252 primary molars in 168 healthy children were randomly covered with GMTA or DFC. Pulp chambers were filled with Intermediate Restorative Material (IRM(®)) and teeth were restored with stainless steel crowns. At each follow-up appointment, the clinical status of the treated tooth was assessed and radiographs were taken. A total of 694 clinical and radiographic evaluations were analyzed.Gender, study site, arch type, and tooth type did not influence treatment outcome. At the combined 6- to 24-month follow-up, clinical success in the DFC group was no different than for the GMTA group. Radiographically, a significantly lower success rate was found in the DFC group vs the MTA group at all time points (P.01). Dentin bridge formation was observed at a significantly higher frequency among the GMTA group (P.01), while internal root resorption was observed at a higher frequency in the DFC group (P.01).At the combined 6- to 24-month follow-up, gray mineral trioxide aggregate demonstrated significantly better radiographic outcomes vs diluted formocresol as pulpotomy medicaments.

Periodontal disease is a common inflammatory disease which erodes the supporting structures of the teeth, and is initiated by a subgingival infection with selected Gram-negative bacteria. Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of four periodontal pathogens, A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. intermedia, F. nucleatum and P. gingivalis were examined for specificity and their ability to bind these pathogens in a particle concentration fluorescence immunoassay (PCFIA). The mAb selected were specific for their homologous bacteria and when tested against a large battery of other bacteria, including 16 genera and 46 species, were found not to cross-react with heterologous species. When each of the mAb was challenged with 40 or more homologous freshly isolated bacteria, more than 90% were positive. Non-cellular antigens in the form of soluble LPS and extracellular vesicles were examined for their ability to bind to assay components and alter the apparent results of the assay. LPS was found to have potential as an interfering agent if bound to assay components prior to sample treatment, but this non-specific binding was significantly reduced when a surfactant was added to the buffers. Extracellular vesicles had no significant effect on the estimation of P. gingivalis by the assay.

Periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the tissues supporting the teeth, is characterized by an exaggerated host immune and inflammatory response to periopathogenic bacteria. Toll-like receptor activation, cytokine network induction, and accumulation of neutrophils at the site of inflammation are important in the host defense against infection. At the same time, induction of immune tolerance and the clearance of neutrophils from the site of infection are essential in the control of the immune response, resolution of inflammation, and prevention of tissue destruction. Using a human monocytic cell line, we demonstrate that Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is a major etiological factor in periodontal disease, induces only partial immune tolerance, with continued high production of interleukin-8 (IL-8) but diminished secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) after repeated challenge. This cytokine response has functional consequences for other immune cells involved in the response to infection. Primary human neutrophils incubated with P. gingivalis LPS-treated naïve monocyte supernatant displayed a high migration index and increased apoptosis. In contrast, neutrophils treated with P. gingivalis LPS-tolerized monocyte supernatant showed a high migration index but significantly decreased apoptosis. Overall, these findings suggest that induction of an imbalanced immune tolerance in monocytes by P. gingivalis LPS, which favors continued secretion of IL-8 but decreased TNF-α production, may be associated with enhanced migration of neutrophils to the site of infection but also with decreased apoptosis and may play a role in the chronic inflammatory state seen in periodontal disease.

Caries-induced pulpitis is typically accompanied by an increase in dental pulp microvascular density. However, the mechanisms by which dental pulp cells recognize lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) remain unclear. We hypothesized that Porphyromonas endodontalis and Escherichia coli LPSs induce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) and human dental pulp fibroblasts (HDPF) through mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling. ELISA, semi-quantitative RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, and Western blots were used. Here, we observed that LPSs induced VEGF expression in DPSC and HDPF cells, and both cell types express Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR- 4). Notably, LPS-induced VEGF is associated with phosphorylation of protein kinase C (PKC ζ) and extracellular signal-regulator kinase (ERK1/2) and is dependent upon MAPK activation. Analysis of these data, collectively, unveils a signaling pathway responsible for synthesis of VEGF by pulp cells and suggests a novel therapeutic target for the management of vascular responses in teeth with pulpitis.

A particle concentration fluorescence immunoassay has been modified into a bacterial concentration fluorescence immunoassay (BCFIA) to rapidly detect periodontopathic bacteria in human plaque samples. The BCFIA utilizes fluorescently tagged monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against the lipopolysaccharide of selected gram-negative plaque bacteria. Microorganisms closely associated with periodontal disease that can be identified in plaque with the BCFIA include Porphyromonas gingivalis, Bacteroides intermedius, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Eikenella corrodens. Briefly, the procedure involved mixing a patient's plaque sample or other bacterial preparation with a species-specific fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled MAb in a specialized microtiter plate. This mixture was incubated to allow binding of the MAb to its homologous bacteria. The bound and unbound fluorescent tagged MAbs were separated by filtration in the modified microtiter plate, and the total bacterial bound fluorescence was determined with a fluorimeter. The number of a specific bacterial species in a given plaque sample or other bacterial suspension was estimated by reference to a primary standard carried through the BCFIA. The lower detection limit of the BCFIA was 10(3) to 10(4) bacterial cells from single cultures of bacteria or 10(4) bacterial cells in mixed cultures. The coefficient of variation within and between plates for each of the five bacterium-specific MAbs in screening plaque for the periodontal pathogens was less than 10%. These results demonstrate that microbes in plaque can be used as the solid phase in the BCFIA to detect and quantitate MAbs associated with specific bacteria quickly and reliably.

Protegrins are potent members of the beta-hairpin-forming class of antimicrobial peptides. Key to their antimicrobial activity is their assembly into oligomeric structures upon binding to the bacterial membrane. To examine the relationship between the physicochemical properties of the peptide and its biological activity, we have synthesized variants of protegrin-1 in which key residues in the hydrophobic core, valine-14 and -16, are changed to leucine and to the extensively fluorinated analogue hexafluoroleucine. These substitutions have the effect of making the peptide progressively more hydrophobic while minimally perturbing the secondary structure. The leucine-containing peptide was significantly more active than wild-type protegrin against several common pathogenic bacterial strains, whereas the hexafluoroleucine-substituted peptide, in contrast, showed significantly diminished activity against several bacterial strains. Isothermal titration calorimetry measurements revealed significant changes in the interaction of the peptides binding to small unilamelar vesicles that mimic the lipid composition of the bacterial membrane. The binding isotherms for wild-type and leucine-substituted protegrins indicate that electrostatic interactions dominate the membrane-peptide interaction, whereas the isotherm for the hexafluoroleucine-substituted protegrin suggests a diminished electrostatic component to binding. Notably both of these substitutions appear to alter the stoichiometry of the lipid-peptide interaction, suggesting that these substitutions may stabilize oligomerized forms of protegrin that are postulated to be intermediates in the assembly of the beta-barrel membrane pore structure.

The emergence of bacterial strains resistant to most of the clinically useful antibiotics has provided the impetus to develop new classes of antibiotics that might combat bacterial resistance more effectively. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are small peptides (typically 15–30 residues) that show promise as therapeutic agents against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. [1–3] Widely distributed in plants and animals, they form part of the innate immune system’s defense against microbes. Although highly diverse in sequence and structure, almost all AMPs share the property of being highly amphiphathic: one face of the peptide is hydrophobic and the other face presents a cluster of positively charged residues. [4, 5] AMPs function by disrupting bacterial membranes, [4] which contain predominantly negatively charged phospholipids. Eukaryotic membranes, which contain predominantly neutral phospholipids, are not targeted. Although promising as broad-spectrum antibiotics, AMPs are susceptible to proteolysis in vivo by endogenous or bacterial proteases, which can considerably diminish their effectiveness. Attempts to overcome this problem by increasing the dose of AMP often leads to toxic side effects, most notably lysis of red blood cells, which has been attributed to nonspecific hydrophobic interactions between the peptide and the eukaryotic cell membrane. [6, 7] Here we describe a strategy to overcome

CXCL8 (interlukin 8, IL-8) has a diverse spectrum of biological activities including T cell, neutrophil and basophil chemotactic properties. It is produced by a wide variety of cell types and plays a significant role in the initiation of the acute inflammatory response. During inflammation, CXCL8 attracts and activates leukocytes at the site of infection leading to leukocyte infiltration, which can lead to tissue damage. Porphyromonas gingivalis, an aetiological agent of periodontitis, induces production of CXCL8 from several types of cells via its LPS and outer membrane proteins. Bacterial chaperones elicit a strong pro-inflammatory response in cells of the innate immune system. In P. gingivalis the htpG gene codes for the homologue of human Hsp90, a chaperone that associates with transcription factors, hormone receptors and protein kinases, affecting signal transduction pathways. CXCL8 mRNA and CXCL8 protein production was induced in monocytic/human microvascular vein endothelial cells treated with P. gingivalis cells or rHtpG protein. Blocking of receptors CD91 and TLR4 reduced the production of CXCL8 by rHtpG either using receptor-specific antibody or by siRNA silencing. Pre-incubation of P. gingivalis rHtpG preparations with human anti-HtpG significantly inhibited CXCL8 production. A P. gingivalis HtpG disruption mutant also induced less CXCL8 mRNA and protein. These results suggest that P. gingivalis HtpG might be involved in CXCL8-mediated immunopathogenesis.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from gram-negative bacteria cell walls such as Prevotella intermedia and Escherichia coli induce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in odontoblasts, but not in undifferentiated dental pulp cells. CD14 and TLR4 are responsible for LPS signaling in macrophages, but their expression levels and function in dental pulp cells are unknown. We showed here that murine odontoblast-like cells (MDPC-23) express CD14 and TLR4 by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. In contrast, undifferentiated dental pulp cells (OD-21) presented low or no expression of these two receptors. MDPC-23 cells showed CD14 and TLR4 up-regulation upon exposure to LPS, as determined by real time PCR. Dominant negative murine TLR4 (DN-mTLR4) transfected MDPC-23 cells did not show upregulated VEGF expression in response to LPS stimulation. These results demonstrate that odontoblast-like cells express CD14 and TLR4, and that LPS-induced VEGF expression is mediated, at least in part, by TLR4 signaling.

To the Editor: Because epidemiological evidence supports an association between cardiovascular and periodontal disease, we assessed whether periodontal pathogens were present in atherosclerotic lesions. To detect invasive bacteria, the natural tropism of the bacteria toward human tissues was exploited. Further, bacterial presence was demonstrated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR). This confirms the presence of periodontal pathogens in atherosclerotic lesions, whereby the bacteria could contribute to the vascular pathology either directly through their cytotoxicity or indirectly by inducing or exacerbating inflammation. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the in the United States.1 According to the American Heart Association’s statistics from 2003, there were no previous symptoms in 50% of men and 63% of women who died suddenly from CHD. In a 10-year follow-up study, ≈25% of coronary deaths in males and 15% in females occurred in persons in the lowest two quintiles of the multivariate Framingham Heart Study risk scores.2 This and other data have led to an emerging paradigm shift from coronary heart disease having a purely hereditary/nutritional causation to possibly having an infectious component.3 Many epidemiological studies strongly suggest that periodontitis may be a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD).4 Serologically, edentulousness and serum IgG-antibodies to Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis in 1163 men were recently shown to be associated with CHD.5 In a larger prospective study of 6950 subjects, the same authors provide serological evidence that an infection caused by major periodontal pathogens is associated with future stroke.6 Previous studies have identified 16S rRNA of oral microbial pathogens, including P gingivalis and A actinomycetemcomitans , …

Induction of resistance of oral anaerobes to the effects of human β-defensin 1 (hβD-1) to hβD-4 was investigated by pretreating cells with either sublethal levels of defensins or environmental factors, followed by a challenge with lethal levels of defensins. Cultures ofPorphyromonas gingivaliswere (i) pretreated with defensins at 1 ng/ml, (ii) heated to 42°C (heat stress), (iii) exposed to normal atmosphere (oxidative stress), or (iv) exposed to 1 mM hydrogen peroxide (peroxide stress). Samples (10 μl) were distributed among the wells of sterile 384-well plates containing hβD-1 to -4 (100 μg/ml). Plates were incubated at 37°C for 36 h in an anaerobe chamber. Growth inhibition was determined by a system that measures the total nucleic acid of a sample with a DNA binding dye. The MICs of the four defensins forP. gingivaliswere 3 to 12 μg/ml. We found that sublethal levels of the defensins and heat and peroxide stress, but not oxidative stress, induced resistance to 100 μg of defensin per ml inP. gingivalis. Resistance induced by sublethal levels of hβD-2 lasted 90 min, and the resistance induced by each defensin was effective against the other three. Multiple strains exposed to hβD-2 all evidenced resistance induction. Defensin resistance is vital to the pathogenic potential of several human pathogens. This is the first report describing the induction of defensin resistance in the oral periodontal pathogenP. gingivalis. Such resistance may have an effect on the ability of oral pathogens to persist in the mouth and to withstand innate human immunity.

An etiological relationship between periodontitis, a significant oral health problem, and the anaerobe Porphyromonas gingivalis may be related to the expression of a variety of putative virulence factors. The objective of the experiments described here was to develop a quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) method to examine P. gingivalis gene expression in human dental plaque from periodontitis subjects. PCR primers and probes for six target genes representing putative virulence factors were chosen and evaluated in vitro for specificity. A potential cross-reactivity level of only 10 copies/10(7) whole genomic equivalents was occasionally observed with non-P. gingivalis microbes. P. gingivalis cells stressed in vitro by a 5 degrees C temperature increase showed a rapid rise in the mRNA associated with the molecular chaperons (htpG, dnaK, groEL), SOD (sodA) and gingipain (rgp-1) genes. We examined the stability of bacterial RNA in plaque specimens and found no significant difference in the amount of RNA obtained before or after storage 3 months in a stabilizing buffer (p=0.786, t-test). Sixty-five percent of plaque samples obtained from two clinical locations contained P. gingivalis; there was a mean level of gene expression (fold increase) for all samples tested for groEL, dnaK, htpG, sodA, PG1431 and rgp-1 of 0.84+/-2.03 to 7.85+/-10.0. ANOVA showed that the levels of stress gene transcription for dnaK and htpG were significantly elevated (p0.05) at diseased sites; groEL gene transcription approached statistically significant elevation (p=0.059). We found correlations between probing depth and increased transcription of groEL, htpG and rgp-1 and between attachment loss and htpG. When sorted by disease status, we detected correlations between disease status and elevated expression of dnaK and htpG.

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of 5 bacterial pathogens in subgingival plaque, their relationship with each other and probing depth. Plaque was collected from 6905 sites in 938 subjects. A bacterial concentration fluorescence immunoassay and bacterial specific monoclonal antibodies were used to determine the presence and level of P. gingivalis (Pg), A. actinomycetemcomitans (Aa), P. intermedia (Pi), E. corrodens (Ec) and F. nucleatum (Fn) in each plaque sample. The prevalence in subjects was lowest for Pg (32%) and highest for Ec (49%). The site-based frequency distribution of these bacterial species ranged from 10.3% for Pg to 18.7% for Ec. Pi and Ec were the bacterial combination most often found together in a subject (27.2%). While 64.0% of the sites were without any of the 5 bacterial species evaluated, 20.2% had only 1 of the 5 bacterial species evaluated. The remaining 15.8% of sites had at least 2 bacteria species present. There was a general linear association of the detection level of bacterial species and probing depth. The odds ratios were 3.9 (Pg), 3.0 (Aa), 4.0 (Pi), 2.7 (Ec) and 2.8 (Fn) of finding high levels of these bacterial pathogens at > 5 mm probing depth (p < or = 0.01). Mean probing depth at molar sites without a specific bacteria was greater (p < or = 0.01) in subjects with a specific bacterium compared to molar sites in subjects without the bacteria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A bacterial concentration fluorescence immunoassay (BCFIA) was developed to rapidly detect periodontopathic bacteria in human plaque samples. The BCFIA utilized fluorescent-tagged monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against the lipopolysaccharide of selected Gram-negative bacteria. Microorganisms identified in plaque using the BCFIA included Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Fusobacterium nucleatum. The immunoassay procedure involved combining a patient's plaque sample with a species-specific fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled MAb and then incubating the mixture in a specialized microtiter plate allowing the MAb to bind to its homologous bacteria. Bound and unbound fluorescent-tagged MAbs were separated by filtration and total bound bacterial fluorescence was determined with a fluorimeter. The relative number of a bacterial species in a given plaque sample was estimated by reference to a standard curve carried through the BCFIA. The BCFIA had a lower detection limit of near 104 specific bacterial cells in a mixed bacterial preparation or plaque sample. When compared to cultivable flora procedures in detecting the 4 periodontopathogens, the BCFIA had high levels of statistical sensitivity, 97% to 100%, while statistical specificity ranged between 57% and 92%. There was a 71% to 82% agreement between BCFIA and DNA probe methodology in detecting periodontopathogens in plaque. The BCFIA, when compared to cultivable flora, offers the advantage of evaluating both live and dead bacterial cells in plaque. This may in part, if not fully, explain the lower specificity values of the BCFIA when compared to cultivable flora. Screening plaque samples for periodontopathic bacteria is considerably faster and results in a greater frequency of detection with BCFIA than cultivable flora based methods. J Periodontol 1992; 63:1093-1101.

Although periodontitis is initiated by specific oral pathogens that colonize and invade the oral tissues, the host inflammatory response is a major factor in disease progression. Soluble protein delivery of antagonists to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-receptor:Fc fusion protein) inhibit alveolar bone resorption. However, the clinical use of recombinant p75-TNFR:Fc fusion protein raises several concerns, such as reoccurrence of disease activity after cessation of therapy. Objectives: This pilot study used adeno-associated virus (AAV) as a mode to deliver the TNFR:Fc transgene to periodontal lesions in an experimental model of P. gingivalis LPS-mediated bone loss. Methods: Three groups of Sprague-Dawley rats received one of three treatments: LPS delivered to the maxillary interdental gingivae thrice weekly for 8 weeks; vehicle alone (PBS) or LPS plus the single local delivery of pseudotyped AAV[2/5]-TNFR:Fc vector [6 sites|[times]|15uL of 8|[times]|1011 DNase I-resistant particles (DRP)] at baseline. Microcomputed tomography (MicroCT), systemic blood levels of TNFR:Fc protein and cytokine profiles were performed at various timepoints ranging from baseline to 8 weeks following TNFR:Fc transgene delivery. Results: TNFR protein serum levels were low to undetectable in all groups over the entire observation period indicating that local vector delivery did not result in systemic distribution of the soluble TNFR:Fc protein. Real-time PCR showed higher expression of both TNFR1 and TNFR2 than controls (p

Simian virus 40 (SV40) and SV40 T (tumour) antigen have been detected in the malignant melanoma metastases of a patient in which specific viral and T antibodies were demonstrated.