A Pathogenic Role of Porphyomonas Gingivalis Fimbriae (FimA) in Periodontitis-Associated Rheumatoid Arthritis

Ji-Won Kim¹, Jennifer Lee², Yeon-Sik Hong³, Sung-Hwan Park² and Ji Hyeon Ju², ¹Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea, Republic of (South), ²Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea, Republic of (South), ³Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea, Republic of (South)

Meeting: 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Date of first publication: September 18, 2017

Keywords: animal models and synovium, Periodontitis, rheumatoid arthritis

Session Information

Date: Monday, November 6, 2017

Title: Rheumatoid Arthritis – Animal Models Poster II

Session Type: ACR Poster Session B

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose: Periodontitis induced by oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) has been suggested to be associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Pg peptidyl arginine deiminase -mediated citrullination and induction of anti-citullinated protein antibodies seems to contribute to the development of RA, however, the exact mechanism remains unknown. We hypothesized that the fimbriae -flexible appendages on the bacterial cell surface- of Pg (FimA) play an important role in the link between Pg infection and RA development by serving as attachment pili and helping invasion into host cells of RA patients.

Methods: Collagen induced arthritis (CIA) induced mice were periodontally infected with Pg or Pg pre-incubated with anti FimA antibody (Ab). The number of oral anerobic bacteria, and the degree of alveolar bone loss was determined to examine the severity of periodontitis. Joint inflammation and destruction was investigated by histological analysis and micro CT. Bacterial invasion into human gingival fibroblast (HGF) cell line or RA synovial fibroblast (RASF) was measured by electron microscopy and immunohistochemical analysis.

Results: Oral inoculation of Pg in CIA mice increased the number of total oral anaerobic bacteria, aggravated alveolar bone loss, and exacerbated synovitis and joint bone destruction. However, pre-incubation of Pg with anti-FimA Ab led to a significant reduction in the severity of both oral disease and arthritis. Moreover, FimA Ab pretreatment attenuated Pg attachment and aggregation on HGF and RASF. Pg was found in the joints of CIA mice, which suggests that orally inoculated Pg migrated to inflamed joints carried within the dendritic cells, macrophages, and neutrophils recruited to arthritic joints. However, FImA Ab treated-Pg was not found in the joints of CIA mice.

Conclusion: These results suggest that Pg fimbriae play a pathogenic role in Pg infection associated RA development. Disrupting Pg fimbriae suppresses the periodontitis and bacterial migration to the arthritic joints and thus, ameliorates joint inflammation in RA.

Disclosure: J. W. Kim, None; J. Lee, None; Y. S. Hong, None; S. H. Park, None; J. H. Ju, None.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Kim JW, Lee J, Hong YS, Park SH, Ju JH. A Pathogenic Role of Porphyomonas Gingivalis Fimbriae (FimA) in Periodontitis-Associated Rheumatoid Arthritis [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017; 69 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/a-pathogenic-role-of-porphyomonas-gingivalis-fimbriae-fima-in-periodontitis-associated-rheumatoid-arthritis/. Accessed .

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