Heterogeneity of human serum antibody responses to P. gingivalis in periodontitis: Effects of age, race/ethnicity, and sex

J. L. Ebersole, M. Al-Sabbagh, D. R. Dawson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Aging humans display an increased prevalence and severity of periodontitis, although the mechanisms underlying these findings remain poorly understood. This report examined antigenic diversity of P. gingivalis related to disease presence and patient demographics. Serum IgG antibody to P. gingivalis strains ATCC33277, FDC381, W50 (ATCC53978), W83, A7A1-28 (ATCC53977) and A7436 was measured in 426 participants [periodontally healthy (n = 61), gingivitis (N = 66) or various levels of periodontitis (N = 299)]. We hypothesized that antigenic diversity in P. gingivalis could contribute to a lack of “immunity” in the chronic infections of periodontal disease. Across the strains, the antibody levels in the oldest age group were lower than in the youngest groups, and severe periodontitis patients did not show higher antibody with aging. While 80 % of the periodontitis patients in any age group showed an elevated response to at least one of the P. gingivalis strains, the patterns of individual responses in the older group were also substantially different than the other age groups. Significantly greater numbers of older patients showed strain-specific antibody profiles to only 1 strain. The findings support that P. gingivalis may demonstrate antigenic diversity/drift within patients and could be one factor to help explain the inefficiency/ineffectiveness of the adaptive immune response in managing the infection.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)11-21
Number of pages11
JournalImmunology Letters
Volume218
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 European Federation of Immunological Societies

Funding

We want to acknowledge the support of U.S.P.H.S . grant RR020145 and GM103538 to the Center for Biomedical Research Excellence, and funding from the Center for Oral Health Research at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry . Also, expert technical assistance was provided by M.J. Steffen and Dr. R. Peyyala in providing the bacterial antigens and supporting the antibody measurements. The substantial contributions of the clinical support staff in the Delta Dental of Kentucky Clinical Research Center are also acknowledged. Appendix A We want to acknowledge the support of U.S.P.H.S. grant RR020145 and GM103538 to the Center for Biomedical Research Excellence, and funding from the Center for Oral Health Research at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry. Also, expert technical assistance was provided by M.J. Steffen and Dr. R. Peyyala in providing the bacterial antigens and supporting the antibody measurements. The substantial contributions of the clinical support staff in the Delta Dental of Kentucky Clinical Research Center are also acknowledged.

FundersFunder number
Center for Oral Health Research
Delta Dental of Kentucky Clinical Research Center
U.S.P.H.S.GM103538, RR020145
National Center for Research ResourcesP20RR020145
National Center for Research Resources
University of Kentucky College of Dentistry
Israeli Centers for Research Excellence

    Keywords

    • Adaptive immunity
    • Aging
    • Antibody
    • Antigenic drift
    • Periodontitis

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Immunology and Allergy
    • Immunology

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