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Biphasic Effect of Gingipains from Porphyromonas gingivalis on the Human Complement System.

Popadiak, Katarzyna LU ; Potempa, Jan ; Riesbeck, Kristian LU orcid and Blom, Anna LU orcid (2007) In Journal of Immunology 178(11). p.7242-7250
Abstract
Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease of the supporting structures of the teeth and is caused by, among other agents, Porphyromonas gingivalis. P. gingivalis is very resistant to killing by human complement, which is present in a gingival fluid at 70% of the serum concentration. We found that the incubation of human serum with purified cysteine proteases of P. gingivalis (gingipains) or P. gingivalis wild-type strains W83 and W50 resulted in a drastic decrease of the bactericidal activity of the serum. In contrast, serum treated with P. gingivalis mutants lacking gingipains (particularly strains without HRgpA) maintained significant bactericidal activity. To understand in detail the mechanism by which gingipains destroy the serum... (More)
Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease of the supporting structures of the teeth and is caused by, among other agents, Porphyromonas gingivalis. P. gingivalis is very resistant to killing by human complement, which is present in a gingival fluid at 70% of the serum concentration. We found that the incubation of human serum with purified cysteine proteases of P. gingivalis (gingipains) or P. gingivalis wild-type strains W83 and W50 resulted in a drastic decrease of the bactericidal activity of the serum. In contrast, serum treated with P. gingivalis mutants lacking gingipains (particularly strains without HRgpA) maintained significant bactericidal activity. To understand in detail the mechanism by which gingipains destroy the serum bactericidal activity, we investigated the effects of gingipains on the human complement system. We found that all three proteases degraded multiple complement components, with arginine-specific gingipains (HRgpA and RgpB) being more efficient than lysine-specific gingipain (Kgp). Interestingly, all three proteases at certain concentrations were able to activate the CI complex in serum, which resulted in the deposition of C1q on inert surfaces and on bacteria themselves. It is therefore plausible that P. gingivalis activates complement when present at low numbers, resulting in a local inflammatory reaction and providing the bacteria with a colonization opportunity and nutrients. At later stages of infection the concentration of proteases is high enough to destroy complement factors and thus render the bacteria resistant to the bactericidal activity of complement. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Immunology
volume
178
issue
11
pages
7242 - 7250
publisher
American Association of Immunologists
external identifiers
  • wos:000246896300065
  • scopus:34249799593
ISSN
1550-6606
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e660f8ce-43e5-46f7-8a42-aa6df84cc1a3 (old id 168191)
alternative location
http://www.jimmunol.org/cgi/reprint/178/11/7242
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:38:14
date last changed
2022-05-16 06:46:23
@article{e660f8ce-43e5-46f7-8a42-aa6df84cc1a3,
  abstract     = {{Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease of the supporting structures of the teeth and is caused by, among other agents, Porphyromonas gingivalis. P. gingivalis is very resistant to killing by human complement, which is present in a gingival fluid at 70% of the serum concentration. We found that the incubation of human serum with purified cysteine proteases of P. gingivalis (gingipains) or P. gingivalis wild-type strains W83 and W50 resulted in a drastic decrease of the bactericidal activity of the serum. In contrast, serum treated with P. gingivalis mutants lacking gingipains (particularly strains without HRgpA) maintained significant bactericidal activity. To understand in detail the mechanism by which gingipains destroy the serum bactericidal activity, we investigated the effects of gingipains on the human complement system. We found that all three proteases degraded multiple complement components, with arginine-specific gingipains (HRgpA and RgpB) being more efficient than lysine-specific gingipain (Kgp). Interestingly, all three proteases at certain concentrations were able to activate the CI complex in serum, which resulted in the deposition of C1q on inert surfaces and on bacteria themselves. It is therefore plausible that P. gingivalis activates complement when present at low numbers, resulting in a local inflammatory reaction and providing the bacteria with a colonization opportunity and nutrients. At later stages of infection the concentration of proteases is high enough to destroy complement factors and thus render the bacteria resistant to the bactericidal activity of complement.}},
  author       = {{Popadiak, Katarzyna and Potempa, Jan and Riesbeck, Kristian and Blom, Anna}},
  issn         = {{1550-6606}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{7242--7250}},
  publisher    = {{American Association of Immunologists}},
  series       = {{Journal of Immunology}},
  title        = {{Biphasic Effect of Gingipains from Porphyromonas gingivalis on the Human Complement System.}},
  url          = {{http://www.jimmunol.org/cgi/reprint/178/11/7242}},
  volume       = {{178}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}