Immunodominance of conformation-dependent B-cell epitopes of protein antigens

Immunodominance of conformational epitopes over linear ones in four proteins was quantified making use of the B-cell hybridoma technology. The proteins were immunized in their native forms into BALB/c mice, and clonal frequencies of B-cell hybridomas that produce antibodies to the native and denatured forms were determined, using ELISA and immunoblotting. All 16 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to Porphyromonas gingivalis fimbria were suggested to recognize conformational epitopes expressed by the oligomer. Ten out of 14 mAbs to Serratia marcescens fimbria and 13 of 15 mAbs to hen lysozyme were also specific to their conformational epitopes. In contrast, all 18 mAbs to a surface protein of Streptococcus mutans, termed PAc, reacted to both the native and denatured forms, thereby indicating the immunodominance of linear epitopes in this protein. The results suggest that B-cell epitopes of proteins possessing stable tertiary or quaternary structures are predominantly expressed by the higher-order structures.     

Autolysis of Porphyromonas gingivalis is accompanied by an increase in several periodontal pathogenic factors in the supernatant

Porphyromonas gingivalis autolyzes in the culture media. To examine in more detail the molecular components of the autolysate, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was performed. Many protein spots varied both in number and volume. One of these spots included Arg-gingipain (Rgp) as determined by N-terminal amino acid sequencing. Corresponding to the increase in spot volume, Rgp activity also increased during autolysis. The results of this study suggested that Rgp and other proteins in the P. gingivalis autolysate may be involved with the prolongation of periodontal disease, even after the death of P. gingivalis cells.     

Clinical significance and prognostic value of Porphyromonas gingivalis infection in lung cancer

A variety of pathogenic microorganisms can promote the occurrence and development of malignant tumors by colonizing in the body. It has been shown that Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) can be colonized for a long time in upper gastrointestinal tumors and is closely related to the occurrence and development of esophageal cancer in previous studies of our team. Because the esophagus and trachea are closely adjacent and P. gingivalis can instantly enter and colonize in cells, we speculate that P. gingivalis may be colonized in lung cancer cells through oral or blood, promoting the malignant progression of lung cancer. In this study, we investigated P. gingivalis infection in lung carcinoma tissues and adjacent lung tissues, and found that the colonization rate of P. gingivalis in carcinoma tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent lung tissues. Therefore, we propose that the microenvironment of cancer cells is more conducive to the survival of P. gingivalis. Then, we analyzed the correlation between P. gingivalis infection and clinicopathological features and survival prognosis of patients with lung cancer. It was found that P. gingivalis infection was closely related to smoking, drinking, lymph node metastasis and clinical stage. Moreover, the survival rate and median survival time of patients with P. gingivalis infection were significantly shortened. Therefore, we put forward the view that long term smoking and drinking will cause a bad oral environment, increasing the risk of P. gingivalis infection, then P. gingivalis infection will promote the malignant progression of lung cancer.     

Maturation of fimbria precursor protein by exogenous gingipains in Porphyromonas gingivalis gingipain-null mutant

Porphyromonas gingivalis expresses several virulence factors such as fimbriae and proteases, termed gingipains, which are enzymes that process precursor fimbriae proteins. Thus, gingipain-null mutants lack mature fimbriae. Membrane vesicle-depleted supernatants (VDS) containing soluble gingipains were prepared as an exogenous gingipain fraction. Precursor proteins were treated with VDS and a fimbriated gingipain-null mutant was successfully generated. Experiments showed that the wild strain adhered to and invaded epithelial cells at a greater level than the fimbriated gingipain-null mutant, while adhesion/invasion was prevented in the presence of fetal calf serum, which inhibits gingipain activity. The findings of this study suggest that gingipains expose cellular cryptic ligands in a proteolytic manner and promote fimbriae binding to epithelial cells.     

Porphyromonas gingivalis infection and cell death in human aortic endothelial cells

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a periodontal pathogen that promotes a proatherogenic response in endothelial cells. Cell death responses of human aortic endothelial cells to P. gingivalis at various multiplicities of infection (MOI) were investigated by assessment of cell detachment, histone-associated DNA fragmentation, lactate dehydrogenase release and ADP:ATP ratio. Porphyromonas gingivalis at MOI 1:10-1:100 did not have a cytotoxic effect, but induced apoptotic cell death at MOI 1:500 and 1:1000. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 production was significantly enhanced by P. gingivalis at MOI 1:100. At higher MOI, at least in vitro, P. gingivalis mediates endothelial apoptosis, thereby potentially amplifying proatherogenic mechanisms in the perturbed vasculature.     

粘虫下唇须陷窝器及其感器的形态、类型与分布

【目的】明确我国重要农业害虫粘虫Mythimna separata Walker下唇须和陷窝器形态结构以及陷窝器内部感器的形态、类型与分布。【方法】利用光学显微镜观察粘虫成虫下唇须及陷窝器形态结构,利用扫描电子显微镜观察陷窝器内部的感器。【结果】结果表明,粘虫成虫下唇须似管状,具3节,各节形态和长度不同,其中第2节最长。粘虫下唇须长度雌雄异形,雌性的下唇须长度为2 463.50±143.65 μm,显著短于雄性的（2 566.11±70.28 μm）（t=2.722, df=34, P=0.012）。陷窝器凹坑深约280 μm,开口处直径约50 μm,内部直径约32 μm,雌雄间无显著差异。陷窝器内部的感器主要包括毛形感器和棒状感器2种类型。毛形感器位于陷窝器凹坑的上半部分,而棒状感器分布在陷窝器凹坑的下半部分。雌性毛形感器长为18.20±0.84 μm,显著短于雄性的21.24±0.34 μm（t=3.335, df=30, P=0.003）。而雌性的棒状感器长为14.69±0.48 μm,显著长于雄性的12.31±0.49 μm（t=3.452, df=21, P=0.002）。【结论】粘虫下唇须陷窝器感器分属2大类型,分布于陷窝器内不同的区域,其长度具有性别差异性。本文报道的这些形态学观察结果为进一步研究粘虫下唇须陷窝器感器生理和功能奠定了基础。