• Journal of Life Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.8-18
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the genotypic characterization of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A. actinomycetemcomitans) using arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR), to investigate the cytotoxicity of both clinical isolates and standard strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans for the human Jurkat T cells, and to measure the osteoclastogenic cytokines released by Jurkat cells infected with these bacterial strains. The random sequence primer 15 and 16 could distinguish different AP-PCR profiles between clinical isolates of A. actinomycetemcomitans. A. actinomycetemcomitans significantly suppressed Jurkat cell viability in time dependent fashion and the results of DNA fragmentation assay indicated that this bacterial species induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells undergoing apoptosis released the osteoclastogenic cytokine, IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$. These data support the hypothesis that induction of apoptosis is at least one essential step in A. actinomycetemcomitans induced local immunosuppressive pathway, and that A. actinomycetemcomitans can modulate the immunomodulatory cell population in the periodontal tissue by inducing T cell death through apoptosis, and that apoptosis of local resident T cells may play an active role in bone resorption by releasing osteoclastogenic cytokines, e.g. IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to develop species-specific real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) primers for use in the detection of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. These primers were designed based on the nucleotide sequences of the RNA polymerase ${\beta}$-subunit gene (rpoB). We assessed the specificity of the primers against nine strains of A. actinomycetemcomitans, eight strains (three species) of the Haemophilus genus, and 40 strains of 40 other oral bacterial species. Primer sensitivity was determined by testing serial dilutions of the purified genomic DNAs of A. actinomycetemcomitans ATCC $33384^T$. Our data reveal that we had obtained species-specific amplicons for all of the tested A. actinomycetemcomitans strains, and that none of these amplicons occurred in any of the other species. Our PCR protocol proved able to detect as little as 2 fg of A. actinomycetemcomitans chromosomal DNA. Our findings suggest that these qRT-PCR primers are suitable for application in epidemiological studies.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.137-145
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• 2012

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is the most important etiologic agent of aggressive periodontitis and can interact with endothelial cells. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) are chemokines, playing important roles in periodontal pathogenesis. In our current study, the effects of A. actinomycetemcomitans on the production of MCP-1 and IL-8 by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were investigated. A. actinomycetemcomitans strongly induced the gene expression and protein release of both MCP-1 and IL-8 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Dead A. actinomycetemcomitans cells were as effective as live bacteria in this induction. Treatment of HUVEC with cytochalasin D, an inhibitor of endocytosis, did not affect the mRNA up-regulation of MCP-1 and IL-8 by A. actinomycetemcomitans. However, genistein, an inhibitor of protein tyrosine kinases, substantially inhibited the MCP-1 and IL-8 production by A. actinomycetemcomitans, whereas pharmacological inhibition of each of three members of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family had little effect. Furthermore, gel shift assays showed that A. actinomycetemcomitans induces a biphasic activation (early at 1-2 h and late at 8-16 h) of nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) and an early brief activation (0.5-2 h) of activator protein-1 (AP-1). Activation of canonical NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway ($I{\kappa}B$ kinase activation and $I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$ degradation) was also demonstrated in these experiments. Although lipopolysaccharide from A. actinomycetemcomitans also induced NF-${\kappa}B$ activation, this activation profile over time differed from that of live A. actinomycetemcomitans. These results suggest that the expression of MCP-1 and IL-8 is potently increased by A. actinomycetemcomitans in endothelial cells, and that the viability of A. actinomycetemcomitans and bacterial internalization are not required for this effect, whereas the activation of protein tyrosine kinase(s), NF-${\kappa}B$, and AP-1 appears to play important roles. The secretion of high levels of MCP-1 and IL-8 resulting from interactions of A. actinomycetemcomitans with endothelial cells may thus contribute to the pathogenesis of aggressive periodontitis.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2022

Inflammation is a protective mechanism against pathogens, but if maintained continuously, it destroys tissue structures. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobic bacterium often found in severe periodontitis. A. actinomycetemcomitans invades epithelial cells and triggers inflammatory response in the immune cells. In this study, we investigated the effect of water-soluble rosehip extract on A. actinomycetemcomitans-induced inflammatory responses. A human monocytic cell line (THP-1) was differentiated to macrophages by phorbol 12-mystristate 13-acetate treatment. The cytotoxic effect of extract was determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The effects of extract on bacterial growth were examined by measuring the optical densities using a spectrophotometer. THP-1-derived macrophages were infected A. actinomycetemcomitans after extract treatment, and culture supernatants were analyzed for cytokine production using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Protein expression was measured by western blotting. Extract was not toxic to THP-1-derived macrophages. A. actinomycetemcomitans growth was inhibited by 1% extract. The extract suppressed A. actinomycetemcomitans-induced tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-8 production. It also decreased mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) phosphorylation. Moreover, the extract inhibited the expression of inflammasome components, including nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3, Absent in Melanoma 2, and apoptosis associated speck-like protein containing a CARD. And cysteine-aspartic proteases-1 and IL-1β expression were decreased by the extract. In summary, extract suppressed A. actinomycetemcomitans growth and decreased inflammatory cytokine production by inhibiting activation of MAP kinase, NF-κB, and inflammasome signaling. Rosehip extract could be effective in the treatment of periodontal inflammation induced by A. actinomycetemcomitans infection.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.331-337
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• 2009

Purpose: Interleukin (IL)-8 is one of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are reduced metabolites of $O_2$. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is one of representative periodontopathogens. To investigate the role of A. actinomycetemcomitans in IL-8 expression of periodontal ligament (PDL) cells, we estimated the production of IL-8 and ROS in A. actinomycetemcomitans treated PDL cells. Methods: The IL-8 production was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The ROS production was estimated using H2DCFDA and FACS. Results: A. actinomycetemcomitans increased the production of IL-8 and ROS at 10, 100, and 500 multiplicity of infection. N-acetylcysteine, an antioxidant of ROS, down-regulated the production of IL-8 induced by A. actinomycetemcomitans. Conclusions: These results suggest that A. actinomycetemcomitans induces IL-8 production and ROS may act as a mediator in this process.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.37 no.sup2
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• pp.297-310
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• 2007

치조골 흡수는 파골세포와 matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)에 의한 골의 무기질과 유기질의 파괴로 일어나는 과정이다. 세균성 산물, 주로 내독소는 치은조직 내에서 염증세포의 유주, 사이토카인 생산, 조직파괴 효소 분비 및 파골세포 활성 등의 국소 면역반응을 유도한다. A. actinomycetemcomitans는 급진성 치주염의 원인 균주중 하나로 그 내독소는 치조골의 흡수와 관련된다. MMP-13은 세균성 산물이나 염증성 사이토카인의 자극에 의해 분비되며, 최근의 연구 결과들은 MMP-13이 치주질환의 진행과 골 흡수 과정에서 일정한 역할을 담당하는 것으로 보고하고 있으나, A. actinomycetemcomitans 내독소와 MMP-13과의 관련성에 대한 연구는 미미하다. 이에 이번 연구에서는 A. actinomycetemcomitans 내독소에 의한 MMP-13의 발현과 파골세포 형성을 세포배양을 통하여 관찰하였고, 백서 구개부 치은에 A. actinomycetemcomitans 내독소를 주입하여 흡수가 진행되고 있는 치조골에서 파골세포의 분화와 MMP-13의 발현을 TRAP 염색, 면역조직화학적 방법 등을 통해 관찰하여 다음과 같은 결과를 얻었다. MMP-13 mPNA의 발현은 A. actinomycetemcomitans 내독소 (1ug/ml)로 24시간 자극한 마우스 치주인대 섬유모세포에서 생리식염수로 자극한 세포에 비하여 약 2.6배 증가하였으며 마우스 대식세포에서는 TRAP 양성 세포가 대조군보다 더 많이 나타났다. A. actinomycetemcomitans 내독소를 주입한 백서 치주조직에서는 대조군보다 더 심한 골소실을 보였다. TRAP-양성 다핵 파골세포 유사세포는 치주염군과 대조군 모두 치조골에서 관찰되었다. TRAP-양성 다핵 파골세포 유사세포는 치주염군에서 대조군보다 유의하게 많은 숫자가 관찰되었으며, 치주염군에서 대조군보다 유의하게 많은 숫자가 관찰되었다. MMP-13 면역양성 반응은 치주염군에서 거친 골연을 갖는 치조골상에 배열된 조골세포와 그 인접한 치주인대에서 관찰되었으며 대조군에서는 MMP-13 면역 양성 반응이 치조골 표면에서만 일부 관찰되었다. 이상의 결과는 A. actinomycetemcomitans 내독속가 MMP-13의 발현을 증가시키며 파골세포의 활성을 통하여 치조골의 흡수를 유도함을 시사한다. 또한 A. actinomycetemcomitans 내독소 투여에 의한 실험적 모델은 백서에서 중등도의 골 소실을 동반한 만성 치주염 모델로 향후 치주질환 치료제의 효과를 평가하는데 유용하게 사용될 수 있으리라 기대된다.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.54-61
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• 2024

Background: The Korean name for Angelica gigas Nakai (AGN) is Cham-dang-gui, which grows naturally or is cultivated, and its dried roots are used in traditional herbal medicines. The AGN root exert various pharmacological effects. Despite the various pharmacological effects of the AGN root, there are no reports on its anti-oral microbial effects. The purpose of this study was to reveal the anti-oral microbial effect and the microbial and biochemical changes in oral microorganisms according to the concentration of the ethanol extract of AGN (EAGN) root, and to confirm the possibility of using EAGN as a plant-derived functional substance for controlling oral infectious microorganisms. Methods: Disk diffusion test, growth measurement, biofilm formation assay, and measurements of acid production and buffering capacity were performed to confirm the antibacterial effect of EAGN. Results: EAGN showed anti-oral bacterial effects against Streptococcus mutans and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans at all concentrations, with S. mutans showing a more susceptible effect at concentrations above 5.0 mg/ml and A. actinomycetemcomitans at 3.75 mg/ml. EAGN treatment significantly reduced A. actinomycetemcomitans growth at all concentrations tested. Biofilm formation was significantly reduced at concentrations above 3.75 mg/ml for S. mutans and 2.5 mg/ml for A. actinomycetemcomitans. Acid production in S. mutans and A. actinomycetemcomitans was significantly increased by treatment with EAGN, and the buffering capacities of S. mutans and A. actinomycetemcomitans increased from an EAGN concentration of 3.75 mg/ml and above. Conclusion: EAGN showed anti-oral bacterial effects against both S. mutans and A. actinomycetemcomitans at concentrations above 3.75 mg/ml, which were thought to be related to the inhibition of their growth and biofilm formation. Therefore, EAGN can be used as a safe functional substance derived from medicinal plants owing to its antibacterial effects against S. mutans and A. actinomycetemcomitans.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.553-562
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• 2007

Osteoblasts regulate osteoclastogenesis by production of various cytokines. Aggregatibacter(A) ac-tinomycetemcomitans is one of periodontopathogens which invades gingival tissue. Therefore, clarifying the effect of alive A. actinomycetemcomitans on osteoblasts is important to understand the mechanism of alveolar bone resorption in periodontitis. We investigated induction of osteoclastogenesis-inducing cytokines, adherence, and invasion by A. actinomycetemcomitans in osteoblasts. Osteoblasts were isolated from mouse calvaria and expression of cytokines was determined by RT-PCR. When the ratio of the number of A. actinomycetemcomtians to the number of osteoblasts was 10:1, 50:1 and 100:1, RANKL mRNA expression was increased. A. actinomycetemcomitans also increased expression of macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP) -1${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-1${\beta}$, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$. A. actinomycetemcomitans attached to and invaded osteoblasts at ratio of 1000:1. These results suggest that A. actinomycetemcomitans increases osteoclastogenesis-inducing ability of osteoblasts by stimulating the expression of RANKL, MIP-1${\alpha}$,IL-1${\beta}$, and TNF-${\alpha}$ and that invasion of A. actinomycetemcomitans provides a means by which the bacteria escape from immune system and antibiotic therapy.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.201-213
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• 2002

The closely related species Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Hemophilus aphrophilus and Hemophilus paraphrophilus are common findings in oral microbiota. The aims of this study were to compare the distribution of three species in healthy subjects and periodontitis patients using PCR for 16s rRNA gene. The DNA was extracted from the subgingival plaque and saliva in 122 subjects for restriction enzyme analysis with Hinf I and Hha I. In case of periodontally healthy person, A. actinomycetemcomitans was predominant than H. paraphrophilus in saliva sample, but H. paraphrophilus was predominant than A. actinomycetemcomitans in subgingival plaque sample. On the contrary, in case of periodontitis patients, H. paraphrophilus was predominant than A. actinomycetemcomitans in saliva sample, but A. actinomycetemcomitans was predominant than H. paraphrophilus in subgingival plaque sample. In addition, the fact was confirmed that the distribution of A. actinomycetemcomitns of women periodontitis patients was somewhat higher than men periodontitis patients in saliva and subgingival plaque samples. We convinced that the PCR method for 16s rRNA gene was important for screening and monitoring of periodontal disease.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.265-276
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• 1999

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of hydrogen peroxide-producing Lactobacillus acidophilus V-20onthe replication of periodontal pathogens, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis. When A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis were incubated alone and in the combination with L. acidophilus V-20, the viable cell numbers of A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis were compared between those cultures. The effect of S. mutans, E. durans, and L. lactis on the replication of A. actinomycetemcomitans and P. gingivalis was also evaluated. The change of periodontal indexes(probine depth, gingival index, GCF volume) and the viable cell numbers of A. actinomycetemcomitans and black pigmented bacteroides in subgingival plaque sample were evaluated following gargling of fermented milk made from L. acidophilus V-20 for 1 month on patients with periodontal disease in maintenance phase. In the mixed culture of L. acidophilus V-20 and A. actinomycetemcomitans or P. gingivalis, the replication of A. actinomycetemcomitans or P. gingivalis wascompletely inhibited. But in the mixed culture of P. gingivalis and hydrogen peroxide-nonproducing Lactobacillus casei, the viable ceil numbers of P. gingivaliswas not decreased when compared with the numbers in the mixed culture of P. gingivalis and L. acidophilus V-20. In the mixed culture of A. actinomycetemcomitans and S. mutans, E. durans, or L. lactis, the viable cell number of A. actinomycetemcomitans was not almost changed when compared with the numbers in the culture of A. actinomycetemcomitans alone. And in the mixed culture of P. gingivalis and E. durans or L. lactis, the viable cell numbers of P. gingivaliswas not almost changed compared with the counts in the culture of P. gingivalis alone. But the replication of P. gingivalis was completely inhibited in the mixed culture of P. gingivalis and S. mutans. When the change of periodontal indexes following gargling of fermented milk was compared with baseline, probing depth and gingival index were not changed, but GCF volume was significantly decreased(p<0.05). And when the viable ceil numbers of microorganisms in subgingival plaque sample were compared with baseline, total viable ceil number was almost unchanged and the viable cell numbers of A. actinomycetemcomitans and black pigmented bacteroides were significantly decreased(p<0.05). These results suggest that L. acidophilus V-20 inhibit the replication of A. actinomycetemcomitans and black pigmented bacteroides by the formation of hydrogen peroxide.