Strategic approach towards etiological elucidation and novel therapy development of periodontitis attributed to EBV

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K11526
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Pathobiological dentistry/Dental radiology
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: IMAI Kenichi 日本大学, 歯学部, 教授 (60381810)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 歯周病 / 歯周疾患 / EBウイルス / 炎症 / 根尖性歯周炎

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Human chronic periodontitis is a major public health problem, the major etiology of which has recently been revealed to be neutrophil infiltration into the periodontium. It affects over half of the adult population worldwide. Although traditional microbiological research on the etiology of periodontitis has focused on some oral endogenous bacteria, emerging evidence suggests an association between EBV and periodontitis progression. However, EBV’s role in the etiology of periodontitis is unknown. We found that extremely high concentrations of IL-8 were produced due to LMP1 in time- and dose-dependent manners in human gingival cells. In addition, P. endodontalis induces the EBVs lytic switch transactivator ZEBRA by histone modification. Thus, EBV, as well as periodontopathic bacteria, should be considered as a causative agent of the progression of human chronic periodontitis.

Free Research Field

微生物学、感染・免疫学、歯周病学、ウイルス学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

超高齢社会を迎えるわが国では、歯周疾患の罹患率の上昇と重症度のより高い患者の増加が見込まれる。病気の進行は歯の喪失に繋がるため、食生活の著しい低下を招く。長年にわたり、ある種の細菌と歯周疾患に関する研究が行われてきたが、未だに病因ははっきりしていない。最近、患部には細菌のみならず多くのEBウイルス（EBV）が存在することがわかってきた。EBVによる歯周疾患発症のメカニズムに関する研究は、新たな診断基準の基となる病因論の解明と新規治療法の開発に繋がることが期待される。また、EBVが関与するがんや潰瘍性大腸炎など他の重要な疾患の研究に新たな情報を提示できる可能性もある。