Porphyromonas gingivalis-Induced Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

“Chronic” periodontitis and its keystone pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis have repeatedly been associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Pathological hallmarks in AD are brain accumulations of amyloid-beta and neurofibrillary tangles consisting of aggregated and hyperphosphorylated tau. In addition, neuroinflammation induced by P. gingivalis has increasingly been recognized as a factor in the pathogenesis of AD. The present mini-review discusses possible mechanisms for the induction of neuroinflammation by P. gingivalis in AD, involving factors such as pro-inflammatory mediators, amyloid-beta, tau, microglia, cathepsin B, and protein kinase R. Inflammagens of P. gingivalis such as lipopolysaccharide and gingipains are also discussed.