Studies in humans have established that polymorphisms in genes encoding the innate immune Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are associated with inflammatory atherosclerosis. In hyperlipidemic mice, TLR2 and TLR4 have been reported to contribute to atherosclerosis progression. Human and mouse studies support a role for the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis in atherosclerosis, although the mechanisms by which this pathogen stimulates inflammatory atherosclerosis via innate immune system activation is not known. Using a genetically defined apolipoprotien E-deficient (ApoE^–/–) mouse model we demonstrate that pathogen-mediated inflammatory atherosclerosis occurs via both TLR2-dependent and TLR2-independent mechanisms. P. gingivalis infection in mice possessing functional TLR2 induced the accumulation of macrophages as well as inflammatory mediators including CD40, IFN-γ and the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in atherosclerotic lesions. The expression of these inflammatory mediators was reduced in atherosclerotic lesions from P. gingivalis-infected TLR2-deficient (TLR2^–/–) mice. These studies provide a mechanistic link between an innate immune receptor and pathogen-accelerated atherosclerosis by a clinically and biologically relevant bacterial pathogen.

Objective-Studies in humans support a role for the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis in the development of inflammatory atherosclerosis. The goal of this study was to determine if P. gingivalis infection accelerates inflammation and atherosclerosis in the innominate artery of mice, an artery which has been reported to exhibit many features of human atherosclerotic disease, including plaque rupture.Methods and Results-Apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE −/− ) mice were orally infected with P. gingivalis, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was used to monitor the progression of atherosclerosis in live mice. P. gingivalis infected mice exhibited a statistically significant increase in atherosclerotic plaque in the innominate artery as compared to uninfected mice. Polarized light microscopy and immunohistochemistry revealed that the innominate arteries of infected mice had increased lipids, macrophages and T cells as compared to uninfected mice. Increases in plaque, total cholesterol esters and cholesterol monohydrate crystals, macrophages, and T cells were prevented by immunization with heat-killed P. gingivalis prior to pathogen exposure.Conclusions-These are the first studies to demonstrate progression of inflammatory plaque accumulation in the innominate arteries by in-vivo MRI analysis following pathogen exposure, and to document protection from plaque progression in the innominate artery via immunization. * Corresponding Author. Caroline A. Genco, 650 Albany St. Boston, MA 02118, USA,, cgenco@bu.edu. 1 These authors contributed equally to this work. Disclosure None.Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. NIH Public Access Author ManuscriptAtherosclerosis. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2012 March 1. We previously demonstrated that oral infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis, the etiological agent of human periodontal disease, accelerates plaque accumulation in the aortic sinus in an apolipoprotein E (ApoE −/− ) mouse model [5,8]. While these studies in the ApoE −/− mouse model have described atherosclerotic lesions of the aortic sinus by histological analysis, intra-plaque rupture or signs of plaque disruption at the aortic sinus have not been reported [9]. In contrast, recent studies have documented the presence of ruptured plaques in the innominate artery of ApoE −/− mice [10][11][12][13][14]. The innominate artery has been reported to undergo a high degree of lesion progression, and lesions in this artery reported to express features characteristic of clinical disease in humans [10,11,[15][16][17]. However, the ability of infectious agents t...

Background Clinical and epidemiological studies have implicated chronic infections in the development of atherosclerosis. It has been proposed that common mechanisms of signaling via toll like receptors (TLRs) link stimulation by multiple pathogens to atherosclerosis. However, how pathogen specific stimulation of TLR4 contributes to atherosclerosis progression remains poorly understood. Methods and Results Atherosclerosis-prone apolipoprotein-E null (ApoE−/−) and TLR4 deficient (ApoE−/−TLR4−/−) mice were orally infected with the periodontal pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis. ApoE−/−TLR4−/− mice were markedly more susceptible to atherosclerosis following oral infection with P. gingivalis. Using live animal imaging, we demonstrate that enhanced lesion progression occurs progressively and was increasingly evident with advancing age. Immunohistochemical analysis of lesions from ApoE−/−TLR4−/− mice revealed an increased inflammatory cell infiltrate composed primarily of macrophages and IL-17 effector T cells (Th17), a subset linked with chronic inflammation. Furthermore, enhanced atherosclerosis in TLR4-deficient mice was associated with impaired development of T helper type-1 (Th1) immunity and regulatory T cell (Treg) infiltration. In vitro studies suggest that the mechanism of TLR4-mediated protective immunity may be orchestrated by dendritic cell interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-10, prototypic Th1 and Treg polarizing cytokines. Conclusions We demonstrate an atheroprotective role for TLR4 in response to infection with the oral pathogen, P. gingivalis. Our results point to a role for pathogen-specific TLR signaling in chronic inflammation and atherosclerosis.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is the primary etiologic agent of periodontal disease that is associated with other human chronic inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis. The ability of P. gingivalis to invade and persist within human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) has been postulated to contribute to a low to moderate chronic state of inflammation, although how this is specifically achieved has not been well defined. In this study, we demonstrate that P. gingivalis infection of HAEC resulted in the rapid cleavage of receptor interacting protein 1 (RIPK1), a mediator of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-1 (TNF-R1)-induced cell activation or death, and RIPK2, a key mediator of both innate immune signaling and adaptive immunity. The cleavage of RIPK1 or RIPK2 was not observed in cells treated with apoptotic stimuli, or cells stimulated with agonists to TNF-R1, nucleotide oligomerization domain receptor 1(NOD1), NOD2, Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) or TLR4. P. gingivalis-induced cleavage of RIPK1 and RIPK2 was inhibited in the presence of a lysine-specific gingipain (Kgp) inhibitor. RIPK1 and RIPK2 cleavage was not observed in HAEC treated with an isogenic mutant deficient in the lysine-specific gingipain, confirming a role for Kgp in the cleavage of RIPK1 and RIPK2. Similar proteolysis of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) was observed. We also demonstrated direct proteolysis of RIPK2 by P. gingivalis in a cell-free system which was abrogated in the presence of a Kgp-specific protease inhibitor. Our studies thus reveal an important role for pathogen-mediated modification of cellular kinases as a potential strategy for bacterial persistence within target host cells, which is associated with low-grade chronic inflammation, a hallmark of pathogen-mediated chronic inflammatory disorders.

Background: Given the absence of consensus diagnostic criteria for giant cell arteritis, clinicians may encounter difficulty with identification of new-onset headache in patients older than age 50 years presenting with visual changes and elevated inflammatory markers, particularly if temporal artery biopsies are performed and negative. Case presentation: We present a case of a 57-year-old white man with headache, diplopia, and jaw paresthesia initially diagnosed and managed as steroid-refractory biopsy-negative giant cell arteritis. Further investigation disclosed evidence of soft tissue infiltration into Meckel's (trigeminal) cave bilaterally. Positron emission tomography suggested the presence of a lymphoproliferative disorder. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Conclusions: Metastatic involvement in Meckel's cave in diffuse large B cell lymphoma is extremely rare and presents a diagnostic challenge. Patients with suspicion of giant cell arteritis should undergo advanced imaging, particularly those with negative biopsy, atypical features, or lack of response to standard therapy, in order to assess for the presence of large-vessel vasculitis or other mimicking pathologies.