ADHERENCE OF PORPHYROMONAS-GINGIVALIS TO EPITHELIAL-CELLS - ANALYSIS BY FLOW-CYTOMETRY

Porphyromonas gingivalis, implicated in the pathogenesis of periodonti tis, can adhere to epithelial cells and gingival fibroblasts. This stu dy employed flow cytometry to evaluate the adherence of P. gingivalis to epithelial cells under various conditions. The cell lines SK-MES an d KB were used in the first experiments. The P. gingivalis strains emp loyed were ATCC 33277, ATCC 49417 and W83, Different adherence conditi ons were tested (contact time, bacteria/cell ratio, contact temperatur e). In later experiments, adherence of P. gingivalis to human gingival epithelial cells (GEC) obtained by explant was studied under various conditions. Results showed that P. gingivalis had a high affinity for buccal keratinocytes compared with SK-MES. Adherence showed a level of saturation. The number of receptors may be limited for each epithelia l cell line, and there may be more receptors for gingival keratinocyte s. Depending on contact time, P. gingivalis showed a higher affinity f or GEC, compared with the other two lines. P. gingivalis thus showed s pecific adherence for a host cell type from a site associated with per iodontal disease.