Inhibition of SFRP1 Reduces Severity of Periodontitis

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http://jdr.iadrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/86/9/873?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=Periodontitis&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT

Inhibition of SFRP1 Reduces Severity of Periodontitis
J Dent Res 86(9):873-877, 2007

C.H. Li, and S. Amar*
Department of Periodontology & Oral Biology, Goldman School of Dental Medicine, Boston University, 650 Albany Street, X-343, Boston, MA 02118, USA

* corresponding author, samar@bu.edu

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is implicated as a major pathogen in periodontitis, a common infectious disease characterized by the inflammation and destruction of periodontal tissues. Secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) modulates apoptosis in different cell types. To characterize the roles of SFRP1 in periodontitis, we used a P. gingivalis-induced murine periodontitis model. Inflammatory responses were measured by morphometric and histomorphometric analysis, apoptosis assay, and immunohistochemistry. We found that P. gingivalis-infected mouse periodontal tissues expressed significantly more SFRP1 compared with those of control mice. Also, in P. gingivalis-infected animals, more apoptosis of inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, and bone-lining cells was observed compared with controls. Antibody experiments aimed at inhibiting SFRP1 expression in periodontitis resulted in a reduction of periodontal breakdown, inflammatory cell infiltrate, osteoclastogenesis, and apoptosis of inflammatory cells and fibroblasts. The results of our studies suggest that SFRP1 may be involved in the development of periodontitis, since inhibiting SFRP1 resulted in reduced periodontal breakdown.

KEY WORDS: experimental periodontitis Ô alveolar bone loss Ô Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) Ô secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1)

© 2007 International and American Associations for Dental Research