title: Inhibition of SFRP1 reduces severity of periodontitis.
abstract: Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is implicated as a major pathogen in periodontitis, a common infectious disease characterized by the inflammation and destruction of periodontal tissues. Secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) modulates apoptosis in different cell types. To characterize the roles of SFRP1 in periodontitis, we used a P. gingivalis-induced murine periodontitis model. Inflammatory responses were measured by morphometric and histomorphometric analysis, apoptosis assay, and immunohistochemistry. We found that P. gingivalis-infected mouse periodontal tissues expressed significantly more SFRP1 compared with those of control mice. Also, in P. gingivalis-infected animals, more apoptosis of inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, and bone-lining cells was observed compared with controls. Antibody experiments aimed at inhibiting SFRP1 expression in periodontitis resulted in a reduction of periodontal breakdown, inflammatory cell infiltrate, osteoclastogenesis, and apoptosis of inflammatory cells and fibroblasts. The results of our studies suggest that SFRP1 may be involved in the development of periodontitis, since inhibiting SFRP1 resulted in reduced periodontal breakdown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology & Oral Biology, Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amar
mesh_terms: D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D017209:Apoptosis; D016866:Bacteroidaceae Infections / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010010:Osteoclasts; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis; D000094742:Secreted Frizzled-Related Proteins
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C485539:Sfrp1 protein, mouse; D000094742:Secreted Frizzled-Related Proteins