Role of gingipains R in the pathogenesis of Porphyromonas gingivalis - Mediated periodontal disease

It has been demonstrated that the Porphyromonas gingivalis cysteine protein ases (gingipains) activate and/or degrade a broad range of host proteins. I nactivation of gingipains R prior to infection of mice results in a decreas e in the virulence of P. gingivalis. Analysis of mouse, rabbit, and chicken antisera raised to gingipain R1 demonstrated that the hemagglutinin domain s of gingipains are very immunogenic; however, immunization of mice with a peptide derived from the hemagglutinin domain did not protect mice from P. gingivalis infection. Our recent studies indicate that immunization of mice with a peptide corresponding to the N-terminus of the catalytic domain of gingipains R results in the generation of an immune response that affords p rotection of mice from P. gingivalis infection. It is postulated that the p rotection observed results from the inactivation of the enzymatic activity of gingipains R as a result of antibody recognition of a processing site on the gingipain R precursor.