Toll-like receptor 9 mediates oral bacteria-induced IL-8 expression in gingival epithelial cells

Commensal microbiome dysbiosis elicits interleukin-8 signaling to drive fibrotic skin disease

Wound healing is an intensely studied topic involved in many relevant pathophysiological processes, including fibrosis. Despite the large interest in fibrosis, the network that is related to commensal microbiota and skin fibrosis remains mysterious. Here, we pay attention to keloid, a classical yet intractable skin fibrotic disease to establish the association between commensal microbiota to scaring tissue. Our histological data reveal the presence of microbiota in the keloids. 16S rRNA sequencing characterizes microbial composition and divergence between the pathological and normal skin tissues. Moreover, the data show elevation of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in both the circulation and keloid tissue, which elicited the collagen accumulation and migratory program of dermal fibroblasts via CXCR1/2 receptor. Our research provides insights into the pathology of human fibrotic diseases, advocating commensal bacteria and IL-8 signaling as useful targets in future interventions of recurrent keloid disease.

Impact of Circulating Cell-Free DNA (cfDNA) as a Biomarker of the Development and Evolution of Periodontitis

In the last few decades, circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has been shown to have an important role in cell apoptosis or necrosis, including in the development and evolution of several tumors and inflammatory diseases in humans. In this regard, periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease that can induce the destruction of supporting components of the teeth, could represent a chronic inflammatory stimulus linked to a various range of systemic inflammatory diseases. Recently, a possible correlation between periodontal disease and cfDNA has been shown, representing new important diagnostic-therapeutic perspectives. During the development of periodontitis, cfDNA is released in biological fluids such as blood, saliva, urine and other body fluids and represents an important index of inflammation. Due to the possibility of withdrawing some of these liquids in a non-invasive way, cfDNA could be used as a possible biomarker for periodontal disease. In addition, discovering a proportional relationship between cfDNA levels and the severity of periodontitis, expressed through the disease extent, could open the prospect of using cfDNA as a possible therapeutic target. The aim of this article is to report what researchers have discovered in recent years about circulating cfDNA in the development, evolution and therapy of periodontitis. The analyzed literature review shows that cfDNA has considerable potential as a diagnostic, therapeutic biomarker and therapeutic target in periodontal disease; however, further studies are needed for cfDNA to be used in clinical practice.

Pre-conditioning of gingival epithelial cells with sub-apoptotic concentrations of curcumin prevents pro-inflammatory cytokine release

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Plaque-induced gingival inflammation (gingivitis) is ubiquitous in humans. The epithelial barrier reacts to the presence of oral bacteria and induces inflammatory cascades. The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which the small molecule micronutrient curcumin could decrease inflammatory response in vitro to oral bacterium heat-killed Fusobacterium nucleatum as curcumin could be a useful compound for combatting gingivitis already consumed by humans.

METHODS

H400 oral epithelial cell line was pre-conditioned with curcumin and the production of cytokines was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and translocation of transcription factors was used to monitor inflammatory responses. Haem oxygenase (HO-1) expression and molecules that HO-1 releases were evaluated for their potential to reduce the quantity of cytokine production. Immunofluorescence microscopy and Western blotting were used to evaluate changes in transcription factor and enzyme location.

RESULTS

Pre-conditioning of H400 cells with a sub-apoptotic concentration of curcumin (20 μM) attenuated secretion of Granulocyte-Macrophage - Colony-Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) and reduced NFkB nuclear translocation. This pre-conditioning caused an increase in nuclear Nrf2; an initial drop (at 8 h) followed by an adaptive increase (at 24 h) in glutathione; and an increase in haem oxygenase (HO-1) expression. Inhibition of HO-1 by SnPPIX prevented the curcumin-induced attenuation of GM-CSF production. HO-1 catalyses the breakdown of haem to carbon monoxide, free iron and biliverdin: the HO-1/CO anti-inflammatory pathway. Elevations in carbon monoxide, achieved using carbon monoxide releasing molecule-2 (CORM2) treatment alone abrogated F. nucleatum-induced cytokine production. Biliverdin is converted to bilirubin by biliverdin reductase (BVR). This pleiotropic protein was found to increase in cell membrane expression upon curcumin treatment.

CONCLUSION

Curcumin decreased inflammatory cytokine production induced by Fusobacterium nucleatum in H400 oral epithelial cells. The mechanism of action appears to be driven by the increase of haem oxygenase and the production of carbon monoxide.

Locus Coeruleus Dysfunction and Trigeminal Mesencephalic Nucleus Degeneration: A Cue for Periodontal Infection Mediated Damage in Alzheimer's Disease?

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a leading neurodegenerative disease with deteriorating cognition as its main clinical sign. In addition to the clinical history, it is characterized by the presence of two neuropathological hallmark lesions; amyloid-beta (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), identified in the brain at post-mortem in specific anatomical areas. Recently, it was discovered that NFTs occur initially in the subcortical nuclei, such as the locus coeruleus in the pons, and are said to spread from there to the cerebral cortices and the hippocampus. This contrasts with the prior acceptance of their neuropathology in the enthorinal cortex and the hippocampus. The Braak staging system places the accumulation of phosphorylated tau (p-tau) binding to NFTs in the locus coeruleus and other subcortical nuclei to precede stages I-IV. The locus coeruleus plays diverse psychological and physiological roles within the human body including rapid eye movement sleep disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression, regulation of sleep-wake cycles, attention, memory, mood, and behavior, which correlates with AD clinical behavior. In addition, the locus coeruleus regulates cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal activities, which have only recently been associated with AD by modern day research enabling the wider understanding of AD development via comorbidities and microbial dysbiosis. The focus of this narrative review is to explore the modes of neurodegeneration taking place in the locus coeruleus during the natural aging process of the trigeminal nerve connections from the teeth and microbial dysbiosis, and to postulate a pathogenetic mechanism due to periodontal damage and/or infection focused on Treponema denticola.

The Correlation between Periodontal Parameters and Cell-Free DNA in the Gingival Crevicular Fluid, Saliva, and Plasma in Chinese Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: To investigate the correlation between periodontal parameters and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) concentrations in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), saliva, and plasma. Methods: Full mouth periodontal parameters, including probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and plaque index (PI) were recorded from 25 healthy volunteers, 31 patients with untreated gingivitis, and 25 patients with untreated periodontitis. GCF, saliva, and plasma samples were collected from all subjects. Extraction and quantification assays were undertaken to determine cfDNA concentrations of each sample. Results: GCF and salivary cfDNA levels were increased with aggravation of periodontal inflammation (GCF p < 0.0001; saliva p < 0.001). Plasma cfDNA concentrations in patients with periodontitis were significantly higher than those in healthy volunteers and patients with gingivitis. GCF and salivary cfDNA were positively correlated with mean PD, max PD, BOP, and mean PI (p < 0.0001), whereas plasma cfDNA was not correlated with BOP (p = 0.099). Conclusion: GCF, saliva, and plasma concentrations of cfDNA were significantly elevated in patients with periodontal disease. There were also positive correlations between cfDNA levels in GCF and saliva and periodontal parameters.

Nanoparticulate cell-free DNA scavenger for treating inflammatory bone loss in periodontitis

Periodontitis is a common type of inflammatory bone loss and a risk factor for systemic diseases. The pathogenesis of periodontitis involves inflammatory dysregulation, which represents a target for new therapeutic strategies to treat periodontitis. After establishing the correlation of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) level with periodontitis in patient samples, we test the hypothesis that the cfDNA-scavenging approach will benefit periodontitis treatment. We create a nanoparticulate cfDNA scavenger specific for periodontitis by coating selenium-doped hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (SeHANs) with cationic polyamidoamine dendrimers (PAMAM-G3), namely G3@SeHANs, and compare the activities of G3@SeHANs with those of soluble PAMAM-G3 polymer. Both G3@SeHANs and PAMAM-G3 inhibit periodontitis-related proinflammation in vitro by scavenging cfDNA and alleviate inflammatory bone loss in a mouse model of ligature-induced periodontitis. G3@SeHANs also regulate the mononuclear phagocyte system in a periodontitis environment, promoting the M2 over the M1 macrophage phenotype. G3@SeHANs show greater therapeutic effects than PAMAM-G3 in reducing proinflammation and alveolar bone loss in vivo. Our findings demonstrate the importance of cfDNA in periodontitis and the potential for using hydroxyapatite-based nanoparticulate cfDNA scavengers to ameliorate periodontitis.

Periodontitis is a common type of inflammatory bone loss, and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) can be a major source that enhances the periodontal tissue destruction. Here, the authors show that a cfDNA-scavenging approach is able to ameliorate periodontitis by using nanoparticulate cfDNA scavenger.

NLRX1 modulates differentially NLRP3 inflammasome activation and NF-κB signaling during Fusobacterium nucleatum infection

NOD-like receptors (NLRs) play a large role in regulation of host innate immunity, yet their role in periodontitis remains to be defined. NLRX1, a member of the NLR family that localizes to mitochondria, enhances mitochondrial ROS (mROS) generation. mROS can activate the NLRP3 inflammasome, yet the role of NLRX1 in NLRP3 inflammasome activation has not been examined. In this study, we revealed the mechanism by which NLRX1 positively regulates ATP-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation through mROS in gingival epithelial cells (GECs). We found that depletion of NLRX1 by shRNA attenuated ATP-induced mROS generation and redistribution of the NLRP3 inflammasome adaptor protein, ASC. Furthermore, depletion of NLRX1 inhibited Fusobacterium nucleatum infection-activated caspase-1, suggesting that it also inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome. Conversely, NLRX1 also acted as a negative regulator of NF-κB signaling and IL-8 expression. Thus, NLRX1 stimulates detection of the pathogen F. nucleatum via the inflammasome, while dampening cytokine production. We expect that commensals should not activate the inflammasome, and NLRX1 should decrease their ability to stimulate expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-8. Therefore, NLRX1 may act as a potential switch with regards to anti-microbial responses in healthy or diseased states in the oral cavity.

Necroptosis in the periodontal homeostasis: Signals emanating from dying cells

Periodontal tissues are constantly exposed to microbial stimuli. The equilibrium between microbes and host defense system helps maintain the homeostasis in the periodontal microenvironment. Growth of pathogenic bacteria in dental biofilms may induce proinflammatory cytokine production to recruit sentinel cells, mainly neutrophils and monocytes into the gingival sulcus or the periodontal pocket. Moreover, dysbiosis with overgrowth of anaerobic pathogens, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis and Tannerella forsythia, may induce death of both immune cells and host resident cells. Necroptosis is one newly characterized programmed cell death mediated by receptor-interacting protein kinase (RIPK)-1, RIPK3, and mixed lineage kinase like (MLKL). With its release of death-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) into extracellular environment, necroptosis may help transmit the danger signal and amplify the inflammatory responses. In this review, we present recent advances on how necroptosis influences bacterial infection progression and what a role necroptosis plays in maintaining the homeostasis in the periodontal niche. Until we fully decipher the signals emanated from dying cells, we cannot completely understand the mechanism of disease progression.

Porphyromonas gingivalis suppresses invasion of Fusobacterium nucleatum into gingival epithelial cells

Invasion of periodontal pathogens into periodontal tissues is an important step that can cause tissue destruction in periodontal diseases. Porphyromonas gingivalis is a keystone pathogen and its gingipains are key virulence factors. Fusobacterium nucleatum is a bridge organism that mediates coadhesion of disease-causing late colonizers such as P. gingivalis and early colonizers during the development of dental biofilms. The aim of this study was to investigate how P. gingivalis, in particular its gingipains, influences the invasion of coinfecting F. nucleatum into gingival epithelial cells. When invasion of F. nucleatum was analyzed after 4 h of infection, invasion of F. nucleatum was suppressed in the presence of P. gingivalis compared with during monoinfection. However, coinfection with a gingipain-null mutant of P. gingivalis did not affect invasion of F. nucleatum. Inhibition of PI3K reduced invasion of F. nucleatum. P. gingivalis inactivated the PI3K/AKT pathway, which was also dependent on gingipains. Survival of intracellular F. nucleatum was promoted by P. gingivalis with Arg gingipain mutation. The results suggest that P. gingivalis, in particular its gingipains, can affect the invasion of coinfecting F. nucleatum through modulating intracellular signaling of the host cells.

Epithelial barrier and oral bacterial infection

The oral epithelial barrier separates the host from the environment and provides the first line of defense against pathogens, exogenous substances and mechanical stress. It consists of underlying connective tissue and a stratified keratinized epithelium with a basement membrane, whose cells undergo terminal differentiation resulting in the formation of a mechanically resistant surface. Gingival keratinocytes are connected by various transmembrane proteins, such as tight junctions, adherens junctions and gap junctions, each of which has a specialized structure and specific functions. Periodontal pathogens are able to induce inflammatory responses that lead to attachment loss and periodontal destruction. A number of studies have demonstrated that the characteristics of pathogenic oral bacteria influence the expression and structural integrity of different cell-cell junctions. Tissue destruction can be mediated by host cells following stimulation with cytokines and bacterial products. Keratinocytes, the main cell type in gingival epithelial tissues, express a variety of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including interleukin-1alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Furthermore, the inflammatory mediators that may be secreted by oral keratinocytes are vascular endothelial growth factor, prostaglandin E2 , interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2. The protein family of matrix metalloproteinases is able to degrade all types of extracellular matrix protein, and can process a number of bioactive molecules. Matrix metalloproteinase activities under inflammatory conditions are mostly deregulated and often increased, and those mainly relevant in periodontal disease are matrix metalloproteinases 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 13 and 24. Viral infection may also influence the epithelial barrier. Studies show that the expression of HIV proteins in the mucosal epithelium is correlated with the disruption of epithelial tight junctions, suggesting a possible enhancement of human papilloma virus infection by HIV-associated disruption of tight junctions. Altered expression of matrix metalloproteinases was demonstrated in keratinocytes transformed with human papilloma virus-16 or papilloma virus-18,. To summarize, the oral epithelium is able to react to a variety of exogenous, possibly noxious influences.

Mucosal and salivary microbiota associated with recurrent aphthous stomatitis

BACKGROUND

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a common oral mucosal disorder of unclear etiopathogenesis. Although recent studies of the oral microbiota by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes have suggested that imbalances in the oral microbiota may contribute to the etiopathogenesis of RAS, no specific bacterial species associated with RAS have been identified. The present study aimed to characterize the microbiota in the oral mucosa and saliva of RAS patients in comparison with control subjects at the species level.

RESULTS

The bacterial communities of the oral mucosa and saliva from RAS patients with active lesions (RAS, n = 18 for mucosa and n = 8 for saliva) and control subjects (n = 18 for mucosa and n = 7 for saliva) were analyzed by pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA genes. There were no significant differences in the alpha diversity between the controls and the RAS, but the mucosal microbiota of the RAS patients showed increased inter-subject variability. A comparison of the relative abundance of each taxon revealed decreases in the members of healthy core microbiota but increases of rare species in the mucosal and salivary microbiota of RAS patients. Particularly, decreased Streptococcus salivarius and increased Acinetobacter johnsonii in the mucosa were associated with RAS risk. A dysbiosis index, which was developed using the relative abundance of A. johnsonii and S. salivarius and the regression coefficients, correctly predicted 83 % of the total cases for the absence or presence of RAS. Interestingly, A. johnsonii substantially inhibited the proliferation of gingival epithelial cells and showed greater cytotoxicity against the gingival epithelial cells than S. salivarius.

CONCLUSION

RAS is associated with dysbiosis of the mucosal and salivary microbiota, and two species associated with RAS have been identified. This knowledge may provide a diagnostic tool and new targets for therapeutics for RAS.

Microbial Nucleic Acid Sensing in Oral and Systemic Diseases

One challenge in studying chronic infectious and inflammatory disorders is understanding how host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), specifically toll-like receptors (TLRs), sense and respond to pathogen- or damage-associated molecular patterns, their communication with each other and different components of the immune system, and their role in propagating inflammatory stages of disease. The discovery of innate immune activation through nucleic acid recognition by intracellular PRRs such as endosomal TLRs (TLR3, TLR7, TLR8, and TLR9) and cytoplasmic proteins (absent in melanoma 2 and DNA-dependent activator of interferon regulatory factor) opened a new paradigm: Nucleic acid sensing is now implicated in multiple immune and inflammatory conditions (e.g., atherosclerosis, cancer), viral (e.g., human papillomavirus, herpes virus) and bacterial (e.g., Helicobacter pylori, pneumonia) diseases, and autoimmune disorders (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis). Clinical investigations reveal the overexpression of specific nucleic acid sensors in diseased tissues. In vivo animal models show enhanced disease progression associated with receptor activation. The involvement of nucleic acid sensors in various systemic conditions is further supported by studies reporting receptor knockout mice being either protected from or prone to disease. TLR9-mediated inflammation is also implicated in periodontal diseases. Considering that persistent inflammation in the oral cavity is associated with systemic diseases and that oral microbial DNA is isolated at distal sites, nucleic acid sensing may potentially be a link between oral and systemic diseases. In this review, we discuss recent advances in how intracellular PRRs respond to microbial nucleic acids and emerging views on the role of nucleic acid sensors in various systemic diseases. We also highlight new information on the role of intracellular PRRs in the pathogenesis of oral diseases including periodontitis and oral cavity cancer, which might offer future possibilities for disease prevention and therapy.

N-acetylcysteine and the human serum components that inhibit bacterial invasion of gingival epithelial cells prevent experimental periodontitis in mice

PURPOSE

We previously reported that human serum significantly reduces the invasion of various oral bacterial species into gingival epithelial cells in vitro. The aims of the present study were to characterize the serum component(s) responsible for the inhibition of bacterial invasion of epithelial cells and to examine their effect on periodontitis induced in mice.

METHODS

Immortalized human gingival epithelial (HOK-16B) cells were infected with various 5- (and 6-) carboxy-fluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester-labeled oral bacteria, including Fusobacterium nucleatum, Provetella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Treponiema denticola, in the absence or presence of three major serum components (human serum albumin [HSA], pooled human IgG [phIgG] and α1-antitrypsin). Bacterial adhesion and invasion were determined by flow cytometry. The levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of small GTPases were examined. Experimental periodontitis was induced by oral inoculation of P. gingivalis and T. denticola in Balb/c mice.

RESULTS

HSA and phIgG, but not α1-antitrypsin, efficiently inhibited the invasion of various oral bacterial species into HOK-16B cells. HSA but not phIgG decreased the adhesion of F. nucleatum onto host cells and the levels of intracellular ROS in HOK-16B cells. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a ROS scavenger, decreased both the levels of intracellular ROS and invasion of F. nucleatum into HOK-16B cells, confirming the role of ROS in bacterial invasion. Infection with F. nucleatum activated Rac1, a regulator of actin cytoskeleton dynamics. Not only HSA and NAC but also phIgG decreased the F. nucleatum-induced activation of Rac1. Furthermore, both HSA plus phIgG and NAC significantly reduced the alveolar bone loss in the experimental periodontitis induced by P. gingivalis and T. denticola in mice.

CONCLUSIONS

NAC and the serum components HSA and phIgG, which inhibit bacterial invasion of oral epithelial cells in vitro, can successfully prevent experimental periodontitis.

TLR-Dependent Human Mucosal Epithelial Cell Responses to Microbial Pathogens

Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling represents one of the best studied pathways to implement defense mechanisms against invading microbes in human being as well as in animals. TLRs respond to specific microbial ligands and to danger signals produced by the host during infection, and initiate downstream cascades that activate both innate and adaptive immunity. TLRs are expressed by professional immune cells and by the large majority of non-hematopoietic cells, including epithelial cells. In epithelial tissues, TLR functions are particularly important because these sites are constantly exposed to microorganisms, due to their location at the host interface with the environment. While at these sites specific defense mechanisms and inflammatory responses are initiated via TLR signaling against pathogens, suppression or lack of TLR activation is also observed in response to the commensal microbiota. The mechanisms by which TLR signaling is regulated in mucosal epithelial cells include differential expression and levels of TLRs (and their signaling partners), their cellular localization and positioning within the tissue in a fashion that favors responses to pathogens while dampening responses to commensals and maintaining tissue homeostasis in physiologic conditions. In this review, the expression and activation of TLRs in mucosal epithelial cells of several sites of the human body are examined. Specifically, the oral cavity, the ear canal and eye, the airways, the gut, and the reproductive tract are discussed, along with how site-specific host defense mechanisms are implemented via TLR signaling.

Microbiota and their role in the pathogenesis of oral mucositis

Oral mucositis in patients undergoing cancer therapy is a significant problem. Its prevalence ranges between 20 and 100%, depending on treatment type and protocols and patient-based variables. Mucositis is self-limiting when uncomplicated by infection. Unfortunately, the incidence of developing a local or systemic infection during the course of the treatment is very high. At this stage, it is unclear which role oral microbiota play in the onset, duration, and severity of oral mucositis. Nevertheless, there is growing interest in this underexplored topic, and new studies are being undertaken to unravel their impact on the pathogenesis of mucositis.

Mechanisms of IL-8 suppression by Treponema denticola in gingival epithelial cells

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism(s) of interleukin (IL)-8 suppression by Treponema denticola, one of the major periodontal pathogens, in gingival epithelial cells. Immortalized human gingival epithelial HOK-16B cells were infected with wild-type (WT), dentilisin-deficient (K1) or flagellin-deficient (flgE) T. denticola in the presence or absence of 2% human serum for 24 h. The levels of IL-8 expression were measured with real-time reverse transcription PCR and ELISA. In the absence of human serum, the WT and flgE, but not K1, substantially reduced not only the levels of IL-8 protein but also of IL-8 mRNA. Such downregulation of IL-8 mRNA was independent of bacterial invasion. Degradation of cytokine mixture by the WT, K1 and flgE revealed dentilisin-dependent preferential degradation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, an IL-8-inducing cytokine. WT and flgE significantly decreased the levels of TNFα secreted by HOK-16B cells, suggesting modulation of IL-8 through dentilisin-mediated degradation of TNFα. The addition of human serum to the culture potentiated the suppressive effect of T. denticola, resulting in substantial reductions of IL-8 and TNFα levels, even by K1. The serum-dependent effects of T. denticola were attributed to its ability to suppress the accumulation of intracellular reactive-oxygen species (ROS), a group of ubiquitous signaling molecules. Pretreatment with an antioxidant suppressed TNFα-induced IL-8 expression, confirming the role of ROS in TNFα signaling. Collectively, T. denticola targeted a key inflammatory cytokine and its signaling molecule to modulate the host innate immune response, which provides a new insight into modulation of host immunity by a periodontal pathogen.

A periodontal pathogen Treponema denticola hijacks the Fusobacterium nucleatum-driven host response

Periodontitis is a polymicrobial disease that arises from the dysbiosis of the plaque biofilm. To study polymicrobial interactions with gingival epithelial cells, the oral commensal Fusobacterium nucleatum and the periodontal pathogen Treponema denticola were chosen due to their opposing effects on the expression of human beta-defensins (HBDs) and interleukin (IL)-8 in gingival epithelial cells. Immortalized gingival epithelial HOK-16B cells were infected with either F. nucleatum or T. denticola alone or together, and the expression of HBDs and IL-8 was investigated. Coinfection with F. nucleatum and T. denticola neutralized the stimulatory and suppressive effects on the expression of HBD-2 and -3, but the suppressive effect of T. denticola on IL-8 expression remained. In CHO/CD14/TLR2 reporter cells, T. denticola attenuated F. nucleatum-induced activation of TLR2, a receptor that mediates HBD induction. Although F. nucleatum facilitated the invasion of T. denticola into host cells, T. denticola interfered with the fusion of internalized F. nucleatum with lysosomes, which may avert TLR9-dependent IL-8 induction. Furthermore, T. denticola suppressed the F. nucleatum-stimulated accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), a group of essential signaling molecules for the TLR2 and TLR9 pathways. The elimination of ROS using N-acetyl cysteine completely blocked the inductions of HBD-3 and IL-8 and significantly reduced HBD-2 induction by F. nucleatum, confirming the importance of ROS in the host response. In sum, T. denticola incapacitates the F. nucleatum-induced expression of HBDs and IL-8 in gingival epithelial cells by interrupting endo-lysosomal maturation and ROS-dependent TLR activation. These results may provide new insights into polymicrobial interactions in the gingival sulcus.

Innate immune response to oral bacteria and the immune evasive characteristics of periodontal pathogens

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammation of periodontal tissue caused by subgingival plaque-associated bacteria. Periodontitis has long been understood to be the result of an excessive host response to plaque bacteria. In addition, periodontal pathogens have been regarded as the causative agents that induce a hyperinflammatory response from the host. In this brief review, host-microbe interaction of nonperiodontopathic versus periodontopathic bacteria with innate immune components encountered in the gingival sulcus will be described. In particular, we will describe the susceptibility of these microbes to antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and phagocytosis by neutrophils, the induction of tissue-destructive mediators from neutrophils, the induction of AMPs and interleukin (IL)-8 from gingival epithelial cells, and the pattern recognition receptors that mediate the regulation of AMPs and IL-8 in gingival epithelial cells. This review indicates that true periodontal pathogens are poor activators/suppressors of a host immune response, and they evade host defense mechanisms.

TLR-9 contributes to the antiviral innate immune sensing of rodent parvoviruses MVMp and H-1PV by normal human immune cells

The oncotropism of Minute Virus of Mice (MVMp) is partially related to the stimulation of an antiviral response mediated by type-I interferons (IFNs) in normal but not in transformed mouse cells. The present work was undertaken to assess whether the oncotropism displayed against human cells by MVMp and its rat homolog H-1PV also depends on antiviral mechanisms and to identify the pattern recognition receptor (PRR) involved. Despite their low proliferation rate which represents a drawback for parvovirus multiplication, we used human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (hPBMCs) as normal model specifically because all known PRRs are functional in this mixed cell population and moreover because some of its subsets are among the main IFN producers upon infections in mammals. Human transformed models consisted in lines and tumor cells more or less permissive to both parvoviruses. Our results show that irrespective of their permissiveness, transformed cells do not produce IFNs nor develop an antiviral response upon parvovirus infection. However, MVMp- or H-1PV-infected hPBMCs trigger such defense mechanisms despite an absence of parvovirus replication and protein expression, pointing to the viral genome as the activating element. Substantial reduction of an inhibitory oligodeoxynucleotide (iODN) of the latter IFN production identified TLR-9 as a potential PRR for parvoviruses in hPBMCs. However, neither the iODN treatment nor an antibody-induced neutralization of the IFN-triggered effects restored parvovirus multiplication in these cells as expected by their weak proliferation in culture. Finally, given that a TLR-9 activation could also not be observed in parvovirus-infected human lines reported to be endowed with a functional TLR-9 pathway (Namalwa, Raji, and HEK293-TLR9(+/+)), our data suggest that transformed human cells do not sense MVMp or H-1PV either because of an absence of PRR expression or an intrinsic, or virus-driven defect in the endosomal sensing of the parvovirus genomes by TLR-9.