Oral infection with a periodontal pathogen accelerates early atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-null mice.
OBJECTIVE
Because recent epidemiologic evidence suggests that periodontal infections may increase the risk of atherosclerosis and related events in humans, we assessed the impact of oral inoculation with the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis on atherogenesis in hypercholesterolemic apolipoprotein E-null mice.


RESULTS
In the absence of alterations in distinct risk factors, P gingivalis infection exacerbated the early stages of atherogenesis in this model. Infected animals displayed evidence of local periodontal infection, as the severity of alveolar bone loss, the hallmark of periodontitis, was increased. Generalized activation of host inflammatory responses was evident in infected mice, as demonstrated by serum IgG response to P gingivalis and elevated levels of interleukin-6. P gingivalis DNA was localized in the aortic tissue from a limited number of infected mice but not in any noninfected controls. Infected mice displayed enhanced vascular activation, as suggested by increased aortic expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and tissue factor.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral infection with P gingivalis accelerates early atherosclerosis. Thus, uncovering the underlying mechanisms is critical for the design of preventive and therapeutic strategies targeting atherosclerotic vascular disease and its sequelae.
Lalla
Evanthia
E
Division of Periodontics, School of Dental and Oral Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. EL94@columbia.edu
Lamster
Ira B
IB
Hofmann
Marion A
MA
Bucciarelli
Loredana
L
Jerud
Adrienne P
AP
Tucker
Sid
S
Lu
Yan
Y
Papapanou
Panos N
PN
Schmidt
Ann Marie
AM
D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss; D000818:Animals; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D016866:Bacteroidaceae Infections / Q000150:complications*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications*; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol