title: Localization of Porphyromonas gingivalis-carrying fimbriae in situ in human periodontal pockets.
abstract: Fimbriae, which are involved in adherence, constitute an important pathogenic factor of Porphyromonas gingivalis. In vivo, however, the distribution of P. gingivalis-carrying fimbriae is unknown. The localization of P. gingivalis-carrying fimbriae was examined in situ. From 19 patients with severe periodontitis and P. gingivalis, we obtained 20 teeth with periodontal tissue attached, with and without immunolocalized fimbriae. Eleven teeth were subjected to light microscopy, 9 to electron microscopy. In 6 of the 11 samples examined, we detected positive reactions with an anti-P. gingivalis-fimbriae serum, located in the cementum-attached plaque area in the deep pocket zones. In the so-called 'plaque-free zones', P. gingivalis-carrying fimbriae were immunocytochemically observed to reside in contact with the dental cuticle in 6 of the 9 samples examined. These findings suggest that P. gingivalis-carrying fimbriae are strongly related to adherence to the root surface at the bottoms of human periodontal pockets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Restorative Dentistry and Endodontology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, 1-8 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. noiri@dent.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noiri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ebisu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D003739:Dental Cementum / Q000382:microbiology; D003741:Dental Deposits / Q000382:microbiology; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D008875:Middle Aged; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000382:microbiology*; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D007106:Immune Sera