Periodontitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Periodontitis, including details on treatment, causes, gingivitis, symptoms.

Transcutaneous immunization with a 40-kDa outer membrane protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis induces specific antibodies which inhibit coaggregation by P. gingivalis.

Maeba S, Otake S, Namikoshi J, Shibata Y, Hayakawa M, Abiko Y, Yamamoto M

Clinical Pathology, Nihon University Graduate School of Dentistry at Matsudo, 2-870-1 Sakaecho-Nishi, Matsudo, Chiba 271-8587, Japan.

This study seeks to assess the potential of a 40-kDa outer membrane protein of Porphyromonas gingivalis (40k-OMP) as a transcutaneous vaccine against chronic periodontitis. Transcutaneous immunization (TCI) of mice with 40k-OMP alone elicited 40k-OMP-specific IgG antibody (Ab) responses in both serum and saliva. When administered with cholera toxin (CT) as adjuvant, TCI with 40k-OMP not only elevated IgG Abs as noted above, but also induced IgA responses in serum but not in saliva. Salivary IgG from mice given 40k-OMP alone or 40k-OMP plus CT showed higher binding levels to the 40k-OMP than did that of non-immunized mice. Ab-forming cell (AFC) analysis revealed high numbers of 40k-OMP-specific IgG AFCs in the spleen but low numbers in the salivary glands of mice given 40k-OMP alone or 40k-OMP plus CT. Since 40k-OMP-specific IgG inhibited the coaggregation of P. gingivalis vesicles and S. gordonii, TCI with 40k-OMP may be a useful tool in the quest to prevent P. gingivalis infection.

Published 8 March 2005 in Vaccine, 23(19): 2513-21.
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