title: Periodontal pathogen load and increased antibody response to heat shock protein 60 in patients with cardiovascular disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the relationship between periodontal pathogen load and anti-human heat shock protein 60 (hHSP60) antibodies in patients with established cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were cardiovascular patients (n = 74) with a previous hospital admission for myocardial infarction. Concurrent periodontal pathogen load of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tannerella forsythia and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans was determined using quantitative real-time PCR. Serum antibodies to these pathogens, GroEL and hHSP60 were determined using an ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a trend for increasing anti-hHSP60 antibody as the number of bacterial species increased. The strongest positive correlations were found between anti-hHSP60 levels and numbers of T. forsythia (r = 0.43; p < 0.001) and between anti-hHSP60 and anti-GroEL levels (r = 0.39; p = 0.001). Patients with extensive periodontal pocketing (≥4 mm) had higher numbers of P. gingivalis and T. forsythia (p < 0.05) and a higher subgingival pathogen load (p < 0.05) than patients with minimal pocketing (≤1 site ≥ 4 mm). They also had significantly elevated anti-hHSP60 levels (p < 0.05). Overall, the highest anti-hHSP60 levels were seen in patients with extensive periodontal pocketing and all four bacterial species.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In cardiovascular patients, a greater burden of subgingival infection with increased levels of P. gingivalis and T. forsythia is associated with modestly higher anti-hHSP60 levels.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Shaneen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Leishman
authors.forename: Pauline J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: Hong Lien
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Do
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: Nicholas C K
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Heng
authors.forename: Malcolm J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Gregory J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Seymour
authors.forename: Mary P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Cullinan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018716:Molecular Mimicry / Q000276:immunology; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D004269:DNA, Bacterial