The role of RNA binding protein Hfq on the virulence factor of periodontal pathogen

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19027
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 57030:Conservative dentistry-related
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Hirai Kimito 岡山大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科, 助教 (10710171)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: Hfq / small RNA / A. actinomycetemcomitans / 歯周病 / 感染性心内膜炎

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is one of the pathobiont causing periodontal disease that is involved in infectious endocarditis. Hfq is a member of RNA binding protein and is best known for its function in post-transcriptional gene regulation by small regulatory RNA. We investigated the role of Hfq on the virulence factors of A. actinomycetemcomitans using hfq deletion mutant. On the present study, hfq deletion attenuated biofilm formation on cell culture plate coated with extra-cellular matrix and reduced invasion efficiency into epithelium cell. Furthermore, the genes expression of flp1, rcpA, rcpB, tadA that relating cell adhesion or invasion were down regulated on hfq deletion mutant compared with parent strain ATCC29523. Taken together, this present study indicated that Hfq regulate virulence factor of A. actinomycetemcomitans in the course of the bacterial adhision and invasion into the host cell.

Free Research Field

歯周病

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

今回の成果はA. actinomycetemcomitansが口腔の局所から血管内へ侵入する過程において，巧みに環境ストレスに適応しながら遺伝子の発現を制御するメカニズムの一旦を解明した。本研究対象のA. actinomycetemcomitansは，感染性心内膜炎やアテローム性動脈硬化症に関与していることは疫学的研究で明らかとなっているが，本研究はその発症の詳細なメカニズムの解明に挑戦するものであり，研究成果は今後，心臓・血管疾患の予防につながる可能性のある，社会への波及効果が大きい。