Understanding the pathogenicity of periodontal disease onset and systemic disease exacerbation caused by periodontal bacteria

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H04378
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Pathobiological dentistry/Dental radiology
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: OHARA Naoya 岡山大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科, 教授 (70223930)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 中山 真彰 岡山大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科, 助教 (10579105) ; 大原 直子 岡山大学, 大学病院, 講師 (80301365)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: Porphyromonas gingipain / 歯周病細菌 / ジンジパイン / シグナル伝達 / 病原因子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we focused on the proteases "gingipains", which is one of the virulence factors produced by the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis. We studied the molecular mechanism of COX-2 expression and PGE2 production induced by gingipains on P. gingivalis-infected monocyte/macrophage cells. In these events, we found the activation of ERK1/2 and IKK, activation of transcription factors AP-1 (c-Jun/c-Fos) and NF-κBp65. Furthermore, we clarified that gingipains-induced COX-2 expression and PGE2 production required the increase in calcium ion concentration due to intracellular influx from outside the cells.

Free Research Field

細菌学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

Porphyromonas gingivalisをはじめとする歯周病細菌の持続感染は，歯周組織の破壊を招き，歯牙の喪失に至る。また歯周病は誤嚥性肺炎や糖尿病の発症・増悪因子となるなど全身性疾患との関連性が高く，その予防・治療の重要性は高い。本研究によりP. gingivalisの病原因子やその発現機構が解明されることは，細菌感染における病態形成機構の解明，新規予防法や治療戦略への重要な足掛かりになる。また，全身性疾患の発症機構の解明の一助となることが期待される。