title: Porphyromonas gingivalis bacteremia induces coronary and aortic atherosclerosis in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic pigs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine whether recurrent intravenous injections with Porphyromonas gingivalis (P gingivalis), mimicking periodontitis-associated bacteremia, promotes coronary artery and aortic atherosclerosis in pigs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pigs (n=36) fed low- or high-fat chow were divided into P gingivalis-sensitized and P gingivalis-challenged groups or P gingivalis-sensitized controls and saline-treated controls. Pigs were sensitized with 10(9) killed P gingivalis subcutaneously. Four weeks later all sensitized pigs in the group to be challenged started intravenous injections thrice weekly for 5 months with 10(6) to 10(7) colony forming units of P gingivalis while controls received saline. Anti-P gingivalis antibody, serum cholesterol, and complete blood counts were assayed monthly. Pigs were euthanized 2 weeks after the last injection, and coronary arteries and aortas were analyzed by histomorphometry and immunohistochemistry. Anti-P gingivalis antibody was increased by P gingivalis exposure. P gingivalis-challenged pigs developed a significantly greater amount of coronary and aortic atherosclerosis than controls in the normocholesterolemic group and nearly significant in the hypercholesterolemic group. P gingivalis was detected by polymerase chain reaction in arteries from most (94%, 16 of 17) P gingivalis-challenged pigs but not controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recurrent P gingivalis bacteremia induces aortic and coronary lesions consistent with atherosclerosis in normocholesterolemic pigs and increases aortic and coronary atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic pigs.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry and Department of Periodontology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Center of Oral and Systemic Diseases, Chapel Hill, NC 27516-3114, USA.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brodala
authors.forename: Elizabeth P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Merricks
authors.forename: Dwight A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bellinger
authors.forename: Damrong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Damrongsri
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Offenbacher
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Phoebus
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Madianos
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sotres
authors.forename: Yu-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Nichols
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D016866:Bacteroidaceae Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D004041:Dietary Fats; D002784:Cholesterol