Elucidation of the mechanism of systemic diseases by a periodontal pathogen in the intracellular transport

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25293383
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Pathobiological dentistry/Dental radiology
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: TSUKUBA Takayuki 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(歯学系), 教授 (30264055)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NAKAYAMA Koji 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(歯学系), 教授 (80150473) ; OKAMOTO Kuniaki 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(歯学系), 准教授 (10311846) ; NISHISHITA Kazushisa 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(歯学系), 助教 (20237697) ; SAKAI Eiko 長崎大学, 医歯薬学総合研究科(歯学系), 助教 (10176612)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: Porphyromonas gingivalis / NAFLD / lipid droplets

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Recent studies have shown that infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major periodontal pathogen, hastens the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the intracellular fate of P. gingivalis in hepatocytes remains unknown. Here, using oleic-acid-induced HepG2 cells as an in vitro model for NAFLD, we found that lipid droplets increased the existence of P. gingivalis in the cells at an early phase of infection. Confocal microscopic analysis revealed that lipid droplets affected the formation of autolysosomes in infected cells. Thus, lipid droplets affect the elimination of P. gingivalis in HepG2 cells by altering the autophagy-lysosome system.

Free Research Field

歯科薬理学