Prospects for treatment of Porphyromonas gingivalis-mediated disease - immune-based therapy

Abstract

Chronic periodontitis is an inflammatory disease of the supporting tissues of the teeth associated with a polymicrobial biofilm (subgingival plaque) accreted to the tooth which results in destruction of the tooth's supporting tissues. A characteristic feature of the disease-associated plaque is the emergence of proteolytic species. One of these species, Porphyromonas gingivalis has recently been described as a keystone pathogen as it dysregulates the host immune response to favour the polymicrobial biofilm disrupting homeostasis to cause dysbiosis and disease. The level of P. gingivalis in subgingival plaque above threshold levels (~10% of total bacterial cell load) has been demonstrated to ..