Background/Aim: Human chronic periodontitis is a major health problem. Although some oral bacteria have been reported to be putative pathogens, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is reported to be associated with the progression of periodontitis. However, the role of EBV in the aetiology of periodontitis is unknown. Therefore, we investigated periodontal pathogenesis of EBV to confirm whether EBVencoded latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) induces Interleukin-8 (IL8) production in human gingival cells. Materials and Methods: Real-time polymerase chain reaction, luciferase assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and western blotting were performed for determining IL8 mRNA expression, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-ĸB) transcription, IL8 production, and the phosphorylation of NF-ĸB p65 and Inhibitor of kappa B alpha (IĸBα), respectively, in Ca9-22 human gingival epithelial cells. Two LMP1 mutants lacking C-terminal activating region (CATR) domains responsible for activating NF-ĸB were used. Results: Extremely high IL8 production was induced by LMP1 in time-and dose-dependent manner, where simultaneous phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 and IĸBα and transcription of NF-ĸB were observed. On the contrary, IL8 production and NF-ĸB transcription were drastically inhibited by dominant negative mutant of IĸBα. Moreover, the LMP1 mutants failed to induce IL8 production. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that due to CATR domains, LMP1 contributes to the progression of periodontitis via IL8 production attributable to NF-ĸB activation. Chronic periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory and infectious disease causing the destruction of the periodontium including the alveolar bone, is prevalent worldwide (1, 2). Mounting evidence has indicated that chronic periodontitis is a risk factor for pre-term birth, heart disease, diabetes, and atherosclerosis (1, 2). Over the past decade, neutrophil infiltration in the periodontium has been revealed to be the major aetiology for periodontitis (2). Some oral endogenous bacteria are believed to trigger periodontitis via host-parasite interactions (2, 3). However, periodontopathic bacteria, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, are not always detected in periodontal lesions (4-6); therefore, the conventional theory based on bacterial aetiology alone cannot fully explain the aetiology of periodontitis. A positive association has been reported between chronic periodontitis and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection (7-11). EBV, a member of the herpesvirus family, infects many adults. During primary EBV infection, the virus undergoes lytic replication in B-cells and epithelial cells of the upper aerodigestive tract, where it later establishes latency (12, 13). EBV can be reactivated and is commonly found in the saliva of infected people (9, 10, 14). Many reports have demonstrated that the amount of EBV DNA detected in 1793 This article is freely accessible online.