Distinct human T‐lymphocyte responses triggered by Porphyromonas gingivalis capsular serotypes

Aim Porphyromonas gingivalis can synthesize an extracellular capsule and different serotypes have been described based on capsular antigenicity. On dendritic cells ( DC s), the type of capsule present plays a role on the strength of the developed immune response. This study aimed to investigate the T‐lymphocyte responses when stimulated with autologous mature DC s exposed to different P . gingivalis K‐serotypes. Materials and Methods Naïve CD 4 + T‐lymphocytes were obtained from healthy subjects and stimulated with autologous DC s primed with increasing multiplicity of infections of the different P . gingivalis K‐serotypes. The Th1, Th2, Th17 and T‐regulatory cytokines and transcription factor levels were quantified. Results Distinct types of response were detected when T‐lymphocytes were stimulated by DC s primed with the different P . gingivalis K‐serotypes. T‐lymphocytes stimulated by K1 or K2‐primed DC s elicited higher levels of Th1 and Th17‐associated cytokines, T‐bet and RORC 2 than T‐lymphocytes stimulated with DC s primed with the other serotypes. Conversely, the serotypes K3‐K5 induced higher levels of Th2‐associated cytokines and GATA ‐3 than the others. Conclusions These results demonstrate that DC s primed with the different P . gingivalis K‐serotypes elicited distinct T‐cell responses. Strains K1 (W83) and K2 ( HG 184) induced a Th1/Th17 pattern of immune response and K3 (A7A1‐28), K4 ( ATCC ®49417™ ), and K5 ( HG 1690) a Th2 response.