Vaccination with recombinant adhesins from the RgpA-Kgp proteinase-adhesin complex protects against Porphyromonas gingivalis infection

Abstract

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a pathogen associated with chronic periodontitis, an inflammatory disease of the supporting tissues of the teeth. A major virulence factor for P. gingivalis is the RgpA-Kgp proteinase-adhesin complex. We have prepared the following recombinant proteins corresponding to domains/regions of the RgpA-Kgp complex; rRgpAcat, rRgpAA1, rRgpAA2, rRgpAA4, rRgpAA1(784-1009), rRgpAA1(911-1009), rKgpA1 and rKgpA1(759-989). The ability of each recombinant protein to attenuate P. gingivalis infection, when used as a vaccine, in the murine lesion model was determined. All of the recombinant adhesin domains were found to significantly attenuate P. gingivalis infection with the mos..