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The effect of periodontol proteolytic Bacteroides species on proteins of the human complement system.
Author(s) -
Schenkein Harvey A.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of periodontal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.31
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0765
pISSN - 0022-3484
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1988.tb01356.x
Subject(s) - bacteroides , actinobacillus , microbiology and biotechnology , proteolysis , complement factor b , complement system , bacteroidaceae , periodontal pathogen , biology , chemistry , complement factor i , bacteria , biochemistry , antibody , porphyromonas gingivalis , immunology , enzyme , genetics
Proteolytic strains of Bacteroides gingivalis, Bacteroides intermedius, Bacteroides loeschii and Bacteroides denticola were assessed for their ability to inactivate select complement proteins in pooled human serum and for their effect on purified complement components C3, C4, and factor B. Under conditions of bacterial concentration resulting in limited C3 consumption in pooled serum, it was found that EDTA‐inhibitable consumption of C3, C4, and factor B occurred with nearly all strains. However, identical concentrations of B. gingivalis were also capable of inactivating purified C3, C4, and B. This property was not entirely inhibitable by EDTA. Further examination of the effect of B. gingivalis on the structure of C3 demonstrated that one strain (33277) converted purified fluid‐phase C3 to a C3b‐like molecule, while the other strain (W83) completely degraded the a‐chain of C3. In contrast, only minor cleavage of the α‐chain of C3 was apparent following incubation with B. intermedius, and no destruction of hemolytic complement activity was induced by the non‐proteolytic periodontal pathogen Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. It was thus concluded that B. gingivalis is capable of proteolysis of purified complement proteins, but that the consumption of complement proteins in serum, which is completely inhibited by EDTA, is not appreciably affected by the proteolytic capacity of B. gingivalis.