Vaccination with recombinant RgpA peptide protects against Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced bone loss.
OBJECTIVE
Following Porphyromonas gingivalis infection in mice, the efficacy of vaccination by recombinant and native RgpA in modulating the early local anti-inflammatory and immune responses and periodontal bone loss were examined.


METHODS
Using the subcutaneous chamber model, exudates were analyzed for cytokines after treatment with native RgpA and adjuvant (test), or adjuvant and saline alone (controls). Mice were also immunized with recombinant RgpA after being orally infected with P. gingivalis. After 6 wk, serum was examined for anti-P. gingivalis IgG1 and IgG2a titers and for alveolar bone resorption.


RESULTS
Immunization with native RgpA shifted the immune response toward an anti-inflammatory response as demonstrated by decreased proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β production and greater anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 in chamber exudates. Systemically, immunization with recombinant RgpA peptide prevented alveolar bone loss by 50%, similar to immunization with heat-killed whole bacteria. Furthermore, recombinant RgpA shifted the humoral response toward high IgG1 and low IgG2a titers, representing an in vivo anti-inflammatory response.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study demonstrates the potential of RgpA to shift the early local immune response toward an anti-inflammatory response while vaccination with recRgpA protected against P. gingivalis-induced periodontitis.
Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University and Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
A
A
Wilensky
Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.|Department of Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Dentistry, Louisville, KY, USA.
J
J
Potempa
Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University and Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Y
Y
Houri-Haddad
Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University and Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
L
L
Shapira
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016866:Bacteroidaceae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D000080867:Gingipain Cysteine Endopeptidases; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000276:immunology; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D000080867:Gingipain Cysteine Endopeptidases; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases

Porphyromonas gingivalis
; experimental periodontitis; gingipains; vaccine