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.

Deficiency of iNOS contributes to Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced tissue damage.

Alayan J, Ivanovski S, Gemmell E, Ford P, Hamlet S, Farah CS

Oral Biology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease that results in extensive soft and hard tissue destruction of the periodontium. Porphyromonas gingivalis possesses an array of virulence factors and has been shown to induce expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in inflammatory cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of eliminating iNOS in a murine model of P. gingivalis infection. This was achieved by utilizing a P. gingivalis-induced skin abscess model, and an alveolar bone loss model employing an oral infection of P. gingivalis in iNOS knockout mice. The results indicated that iNOS knockout mice exhibit more extensive soft tissue damage and alveolar bone loss in response to P. gingivalis infection compared to wild-type mice. The local immune response to P. gingivalis in iNOS knockout mice was characterized by increased numbers of polymorphonuclear monocytes, while the systemic immune response was characterized by high levels of interleukin-12. The iNOS is required for an appropriate response to P. gingivalis infection.

Published 26 October 2006 in Oral Microbiol Immunol, 21(6): 360-5.
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