Porphyromonas gingivalisinfection-induced tissue and bone transcriptional profiles

Abstract

Porphyromonas gingivalis has been associated with subgingival biofilms in adult periodontitis. However, the molecular mechanisms of its contribution to chronic gingival inflammation and loss of periodontal structural integrity remain unclear. This investigation aimed to examine changes in the host transcriptional profiles during a P. gingivalis infection using a murine calvarial model of inflammation and bone resorption. P. gingivalis FDC 381 was injected into the subcutaneous soft tissue over the calvaria of BALB/c mice for 3 days, after which the soft tissues and calvarial bones were excised. RNA was isolated from infected soft tissues and calvarial bones and was analysed for transcript profiles using Murine GeneChip^® arrays to provide a molecular profile of the events that occur following infection of these tissues. After P. gingivalis infection, 6452 and 2341 probe sets in the infected soft tissues and calvarial bone, respectively, were differentially expressed (P ≤ 0.05). Biological pathways significantly impacted by P. gingivalis infection in tissues and calvarial bone included cell adhesion (immune system) molecules, Toll‐like receptors, B‐cell receptor signaling, transforming growth factor‐β cytokine family receptor signaling, and major histocompatibility complex class II antigen processing pathways resulting in proinflammatory, chemotactic effects, T‐cell stimulation, and downregulation of antiviral and T‐cell chemotactic effects. P. gingivalis‐induced inflammation activated osteoclasts, leading to local bone resorption. This is the first in vivo evidence that localized P. gingivalis infection differentially induces transcription of a broad array of host genes, the profiles of which differed between inflamed soft tissues and calvarial bone.