Antibody reactive with Porphyromonas gingivalis serotypes K1-6 in adult and generalized early-onset periodontitis.
BACKGROUND
Six serotypes of Porphyromonas gingivalis have recently been described. We sought to test the hypothesis that serotype specific carbohydrates from these strains are important antigens that elicit potent immune responses.


METHODS
Serum concentrations of IgG reactive with P. gingivalis serotypes K1-K6 were determined for 28 adult (AP) and 28 generalized early-onset (G-EOP) periodontitis patients previously determined to be seropositive for a broken cell preparation of P. gingivalis. To confirm relationships suggested for K1, K2, and K6 in the analysis of initial data, the study population was increased to 133.


RESULTS
Frequency of seropositivity for the 6 serotypes ranged from 26 to 54% of subjects. IgG concentrations ranged from 0 to 453 microg/ml with many subjects seropositive to more than one serotype. Concentrations for the subset of patients who was seropositive were high (mean responses ranged from 20 to 105 microg/ml for the 6 serotypes). Significant correlations between seropositivity to serotypes K1 and K5 as well as between K5 and K6 were found.


CONCLUSIONS
We examined the relationship of diagnosis, race, gender, smoking, probing depth, attachment loss, and antibody reaction with the P. gingivalis serotypes by analysis of variance. Initial findings suggested potential relationships between diagnosis, smoking, race, gender, and antibody reactive with serotypes K1, K2, and K6. A significant relationship did exist between smoking and decreased antibody reactive with P. gingivalis serotype K2. No other relationships were substantiated. We also examined the IgG subclass distribution and found that responses were almost exclusively IgG2. These data support the concept that antibody responses to all 6 serotypes are common in both AP and G-EOP and that these K serotype carbohydrates elicit potent IgG2 responses.
Califano
J V
JV
Clinical Research Center for Periodontal Diseases, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298-0566, USA.
Schifferle
R E
RE
Gunsolley
J C
JC
Best
A M
AM
Schenkein
H A
HA
Tew
J G
JG
D000328:Adult; D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000145:classification; D044383:Black People; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000473:pathology; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000473:pathology; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology; D012703:Serotyping; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D044465:White People
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C030659:K antigens; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial