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Infection and Immunity, August 2004, p. 4689-4698, Vol. 72, No. 8
0019-9567/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.72.8.4689-4698.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

In Vitro Models of Tissue Penetration and Destruction by Porphyromonas gingivalis

Elisoa Andrian, Daniel Grenier,* and Mahmoud Rouabhia

Groupe de Recherche en Écologie Buccale, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

Received 5 February 2004/ Returned for modification 23 March 2004/ Accepted 6 May 2004

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a gram-negative anaerobic bacterium that is considered the key etiologic agent of chronic periodontitis. Arg- and Lys-gingipain cysteine proteinases produced by P. gingivalis are key virulence factors and are believed to be essential for significant tissue component degradation, leading to host tissue invasion by periodontopathogens. Two in vitro models were used to determine the extent to which P. gingivalis can reach connective tissue. The tissue penetration potential of P. gingivalis was first investigated by using an engineered human oral mucosa model composed of normal human epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Internalized bacteria were assessed by transmission electron microscopy. Bacteria were observed within multilayered gingival epithelial cells and in the space between the stratified epithelium and the lamina propria. A gingipain-null mutant strain of P. gingivalis was found to be less potent in penetrating tissue than the wild-type strain. Proinflammatory responses to P. gingivalis infection were evaluated. P. gingivalis increased the secretion of interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha. In the second part of the study, the contribution of P. gingivalis gingipains to tissue penetration was investigated by using a reconstituted basement membrane model (Matrigel). The penetration of 14C-labeled P. gingivalis cells through Matrigel was significantly reduced when leupeptin, a specific inhibitor of Arg-gingipain activity, was added or when a gingipain-null mutant was used. The results obtained with these two relevant models support the capacities of P. gingivalis to infiltrate periodontal tissue and to modulate the proinflammatory response and suggest a critical role of gingipains in tissue destruction.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Groupe de Recherche en Écologie Buccale, Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada G1K 7P4. Phone: (418) 656-7341. Fax: (418) 656-2861. E-mail: Daniel.Grenier{at}greb.ulaval.ca.

Editor: V. J. DiRita

Infection and Immunity, August 2004, p. 4689-4698, Vol. 72, No. 8
0019-9567/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/IAI.72.8.4689-4698.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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