Human Trophoblast Responses to P. gingivalis Infection

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a periodontal pathogen that is also associated with preterm low birth weight delivery. We investigated the transcriptional responses of human extravillous trophoblasts (HTR-8) to infection with P. gingivalis. Over 2000 genes were differentially regulated in HTR-8 cells by P. gingivalis. In ontology analyses of regulated genes, overpopulated biological pathways included MAP kinase signaling and cytokine production. Immunoblots confirmed over expression of the MAP kinase pathway components MEK3, p38 and Max. Furthermore, P. gingivalis infection induced phosphorylation and activation of MEK3 and p38. Increased production of IL-1 and IL-8 by HTR-8 cells was demonstrated phenotypically by ELISA of HTR-8 cell lysates and culture supernatants. Thus infection of trophoblasts by P. gingivalis can impact signal transduction pathways and modulate cytokine expression, outcomes that could disrupt the maintenance of pregnancy.

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Riewe SD, Mans JJ, Hirano T, Katz J, Shiverick KT, Brown TA, Lamont RJ