Periodontal Pathogens and Atherosclerosis: Implications of Inflammation and Oxidative Modification of LDL

Abstract

Inflammation is well accepted to play a crucial role in the development of atherosclerotic lesions, and recent studies have demonstrated an association between periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease. Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, causative agents of destructive chronic inflammation in the periodontium, can accelerate atheroma deposition in animal models. Emerging evidence suggests that vaccination against virulence factors of these pathogens and anti-inflammatory therapy may confer disease resistance. In this review, we focus on the role of inflammatory mechanisms and oxidative modification in the formation and activation of atherosclerotic plaques accelerated by P. gingivalis or A. actinomycetemcomitans in an ApoE-deficient mouse model and high-fat-diet-fed mice. Furthermore, we examine whether mucosal vaccination with a periodontal pathogen or the anti-inflammatory activity of catechins can reduce periodontal pathogen-accelerated atherosclerosis.

Cerebral Oxidative Stress and Microvasculature Defects in TNF-α Expressing Transgenic and Porphyromonas gingivalis-Infected ApoE–/– Mice

“…P. gingivalis is a well-established mediator of infection and hostderived, tissue damage during periodontitis, where similar to AD, oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of disease [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Indeed, P. gingivalis levels have been shown to correlate with oxidative stress biomarker levels during periodontal disease and other inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis, where this bacterium has been implicated [55,56]. Therefore, the present findings suggest that P. gingivalis infection is capable of inducing significant immuno-inflammatory responses and associated oxidative stress in the hippocampi of ApoE -/-mice, which is characteristically prominent in the microvascular regions.…”

The presence of periopathogenic bacteria in subgingival and atherosclerotic plaques – An age related comparative analysis

“…Both periodontitis and atherosclerosis are common diseases in human adults. Periodontitis involves the destruction of supporting structures of the teeth including periodontal ligament, bone and soft tissues, and causes tooth loss [1,2]. The disease is a chronic low grade infection caused by bacteria that populate periodontal pockets.…”

Structure and Mechanism of Cysteine Peptidase Gingipain K (Kgp), a Major Virulence Factor of Porphyromonas gingivalis in Periodontitis

“…It evades the host defense mechanisms through a panel of virulence factors that deregulate innate immune and inflammatory responses. In addition, bacteria and their products can enter the circulation, contributing to development and severity of systemic diseases at distal sites, such as cardiovascular diseases (6), rheumatoid arthritis (7), diabetes (8), and preterm delivery (9). Currently, specific treatment of severe periodontitis consists only of curettage of the affected area, which is time-consuming, painful, and needs frequent repetition (10), and the adjunct doxycycline hyclate (Periostat), which targets matrix metalloproteinases and was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1988 (11).…”