The innate host response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) obtained from Porphyromonas gingivalis is unusual in that different studies have reported that it can be an agonist for Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) as well as an antagonist or agonist for TLR4. In this report it is shown that P. gingivalis LPS is highly heterogeneous, containing more lipid A species than previously described. In addition, purification of LPS can preferentially fractionate these lipid A species. It is shown that an LPS preparation enriched for lipid A species at m/z 1,435 and 1,450 activates human and mouse TLR2, TLR2 plus TLR1, and TLR4 in transiently transfected HEK 293 cells coexpressing membrane-associated CD14. The HEK cell experiments further demonstrated that cofactor MD-2 was required for functional engagement of TLR4 but not of TLR2 nor TLR2 plus TLR1. In addition, serum-soluble CD14 effectively transferred P. gingivalis LPS to TLR2 plus TLR1, but poorly to TLR4. Importantly, bone marrow cells obtained from TLR2؊/؊ and TLR4 ؊/؊ mice also responded to P. gingivalis LPS in a manor consistent with the HEK results, demonstrating that P. gingivalis LPS can utilize both TLR2 and TLR4. No response was observed from bone marrow cells obtained from TLR2 and TLR4 double-knockout mice, demonstrating that P. gingivalis LPS activation occurred exclusively through either TLR2 or TLR4. Although the biological significance of the different lipid A species found in P. gingivalis LPS preparations is not currently understood, it is proposed that the presence of multiple lipid A species contributes to cell activation through both TLR2 and TLR4.

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