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Gingipain‐Specific IgG in the Sera of Patients With Periodontal Disease Is Necessary for Opsonophagocytosis of Porphyromonas gingivalis
Author(s) -
Gibson Frank C.,
Savelli Juan,
Van Dyke Thomas E.,
Genco Caroline Attardo
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of periodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.036
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1943-3670
pISSN - 0022-3492
DOI - 10.1902/jop.2005.76.10.1629
Subject(s) - porphyromonas gingivalis , antibody , microbiology and biotechnology , chronic periodontitis , aggressive periodontitis , chemistry , immunology , periodontitis , biology , medicine
Background: Porphyromonas gingivalis is a primary etiologic agent of generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAgP), and gingipains, a group of cysteine proteinases, are critical virulence factors expressed by this organism. GAgP patients develop specific antibodies to gingipains; however, the function of these antibodies in the clearance of P. gingivalis infection is poorly understood. Methods: In this study, we defined the levels of gingipain‐specific antibodies in GAgP patient sera and examined the ability of gingipain‐specific antibodies to facilitate opsonophagocytosis of P. gingivalis by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) using a fluorescent phagocytosis assay. Results: GAgP patient sera possessed elevated levels of P. gingivalis ‐, arginine‐gingipain (Rgp)A‐, RgpB‐, and lysine‐gingipain (Kgp)‐specific IgG (Kgp > RgpA > P. gingivalis > RgpB). Adsorption of GAgP sera with P. gingivalis whole organisms, RgpA, RgpB, and Kgp conjugated to sepharose beads reduced opsonophagocytosis of P. gingivalis by PMNs. Conclusions: Our studies demonstrate that GAgP patient sera possess elevated levels of P. gingivalis ‐ and gingipain‐specific IgG. Furthermore, we show that gingipain antibodies promote uptake of P. gingivalis by PMNs, and our data suggest that gingipain‐specific antibodies may be important for the control of P. gingivalis infections.