• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2021

We previously showed that γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), an enzyme involved in glutathione metabolism, in Bacillus subtilis acts as a virulence factor for osteoclastogenesis via the RANKL-dependent pathway. Hence, it can be hypothesized that GGT of periodontopathic bacteria acts as a virulence factor in bone destruction. Because Fusobacterium nucleatum, which is a periodontopathic pathogen, has GGT with a primary structure similar to that of B. subtilis GGT (37.7% identify), the bone-resorbing activity of F. nucleatum GGT was examined here. Recombinant GGT (rGGT) of F. nucleatum was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using the His tag of rGGT. F. nucleatum rGGT (Fn rGGT) was expressed as a precursor of GGT, and then processed to a heavy subunit and a light subunit, which is characteristic of general GGTs, including the human and B. subtilis enzymes. Osteoclastogenesis was achieved in a co-culture system of mouse calvaria-derived osteoblasts and bone marrow cells. Fn rGGT induced osteoclastogenesis to a level similar to that of B. subtilis rGGT; furthermore, osteoclastogenesis was induced in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that F. nucleatum GGT possesses a virulent bone-resorbing activity, which could play an important role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.361-374
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• 1999

F. nucleatum is a gram-negative obligate anaerobe which is the principal and most frequent cause of gingival inflammation and is the predominant pathogen isolated in subsequent periodontal breakdown. It is also one of the most numerous bacteria found in subgingival plaque samples from healthy sites; its numbers are about 10-fold greater in plaque from periodontally diseased sites. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of outer membrane(OM), outer membrane vesicle(OMV), and lipopolysaccharide(LPS) from F. nucleatum ATCC 25586 strain on the growth of human gingival fibroblasts and HOS 941 cells, and on the $TNF-{\alpha}$ production / $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA expression of mouse splenocytes. For the examination of cytotoxic effects, $TNF-{\alpha}$ production and $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA expression, the MTT assay, the ELISA and the RT-PCR were performed, respectively. All extracts of F. nucleatum tested were cytotoxic to both of human gingival fibroblasts and HOS 941 cells, and the significant difference of cytotoxic activity among the extracts was not observed. In the effects of these extracts on the $TNF-{\alpha}$ production / $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA expression of mouse splenocytes, all extracts of F. nucleatum tested also stimulated the $TNF-{\alpha}$ production / $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA expression, but the effects of the OM extracts on the $TNF-{\alpha}$ production / $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA expression were higher than those of the OMV and the LPS extracts. The pattern of the $TNF-{\alpha}$ mRNA expression was similar to that of the $TNF-{\alpha}$ production. These results indicate that F. nucleatum seems to contribute to the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases at least by its cytotoxicity, directly and its $TNF-{\alpha}$ production, indirectly.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.161-165
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of (-)-epigalocatechin on Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, and Porphyromonas gingivalis. To test the antimicrobial effect of (-)-epigalocatechin, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of against 4 strains of F. nucleatum, 2 strains of P. intermedia, and 2 strains of P. gingivalis was measured by broth dilution method. Time-kill curves were assessed for susceptible bacteria, testing $0{\times}MIC$ (control group), $0.5{\times}MIC$, $1{\times}MIC$, and $2{\times}MIC$ for (-)-epigalocatechin, by counting viable bacteria after 3, 90, 180, 360, 720, 1440 minutes. The MIC of (-)-epigalocatechin was 0.312-0.625, 0.625, and 0.625 mg/ml on the strains of F. nucleatum, P. intermedia, and P. gingivalis, respectively. Time-kill curves demonstrated (-)-epigalocatechin had bactericidal activity on P. intermedia ATCC $25611^T$, P. gingival is ATCC 53978, and F. nucleatum subsp. fusiforme ATCC $51190^T$. The results suggest that (-)-epigalocatechin can be useful in developing the oral hygiene product such as tooth past and gargling solution for the prevention of periodontal diseases.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.97-102
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• 2022

In this study, the antibacterial effect of silkworm extract and Momordica charantia extract on S. mutans and F. nucleatum was investigated. S. mutans or F. nucleatum and 0%, 2%, 4%, 8% concentration of silkworm powder or Momordica charantia powder extract were added to the BHI liquid medium and cultured, and the sample was measured at an optical density of 600nm. As a result, S. mutans, the absorbance value was significantly decreased only in 8% of the silkworm extract, and the absorbance value was significantly decreased in all concentrations in the Momordica charantia extract. The absorbance of F. nucleatum was significantly decreased in a concentration-dependent manner in both the silkworm extract and the Momordica charantia extract. This suggests the possibility that silkworm extract and Momordica charantia extract can be used as materials for the prevention and treatment of oral diseases.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.213-219
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• 2019

Background: Smoking exerts an adverse effect on the periodontal tissue by reorganizing the ecosystem of oral microorganisms and is considered to be an important factor in the development of periodontal disease. Although cross-sectional studies on smokers and non-smokers have been attempted to investigate the microbial differences in periodontal oral cavity, only few studies have been conducted to investigate the changes in oral microorganisms during smoking cessation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of bacteria in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) over a period of one year among 11 smokers trying to quit smoking. Methods: Eleven smokers trying to quit smoking visited the clinic at baseline, two weeks, two months, four months, six months, and 12 months to give saliva and GCF samples. The amounts of 16S rRNA, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, Prevotella intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. nucleatum, Streptococcus mutans, and Streptococcus sobrinus in saliva and GCF were quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction TaqMan probe assay. The results were analyzed by nonparametric statistical analysis using Friedman test and Spearman correlation coefficient. Results: After cessation of smoking, the amounts of 16S rRNA corresponding to P. gingivalis, F. nucleatum, P. intermedia, and T. denticola in saliva decreased and then again increased significantly. The amount of F. nucleatum 16S rRNA in GCF decreased significantly after smoking cessation. Positive correlations were observed between 16S rRNA and F. nucleatum and between F. nucleatum and T. denticola in saliva and GCF. Conclusion: Even if the number of subjects in this study was small, we suggest that smoking cessation may reduce the total bacterial amount and F. nucleatum in GCF. However, the results regarding changes in the microbial ecosystem due to smoking or smoking cessation were inconsistent. Therefore, further in-depth studies need to be carried out.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.675-687
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• 2000

Multiple periodontal pathogens sequentially colonize the subgingival niche during the conversion from gingivitis to destructive periodontal disease. An animal model of sequential immunization with key periodontal pathogens has been developed to determine whether T and B lymppocyte effector functions are skewed and fail to protect the host from pathogenic challenge. The present study was performed to evaluate immunomodulatory effect of exposure to Fusobacterium nucleatum(F. nucleatum) prior to Porphyromonas gingivalis(P. gingi - valis). Group 1(control) mice were immunized with phosphate-buffered saline, Group 2 were immunized with F. nucleatum prior to P. gingivalis, while Group 3 were immunized P. gingivalis alone. All the T cell clones derived from Group 2 demonstrated type 2 helper T cell clone(Th2 subsets), while those from Group 3 mice demonstrated Th1 subsets. Exposure of mice to F . nucleatum prior to P. gingivalis interfered with opsonophagocytosis function of sera against P. gingivalis. In adoptive T cell transfer experiments, in vivo protective capacity type 2 helper T cell clones(Th2) from Group 2 was significantly lower than type 1 helper T cell clones(Th1) from Group 3 against the lethal dose infection of P. gingivalis. Western blot analysis indicated the different pattern of recognition of P .gingivalis fimbrial proteins between sera from Group 2 and Group 3. In conclusion, these study suggest that colonization of the subgingival niche by F .nucleatum prior to the periodontal pathogen, P. gingivalis, modulates the host immune responses to P. gingivalis at humoral, cellular and molecular levels.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.134-142
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• 2020

Colon cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors, but there are still a few validated biomarkers of colon cancer. Exosome-mediated microRNAs (miRNAs) have been recognized as potential biomarkers in cancers, and miRNAs can regulate a variety of genes. Recently, Fusobacterium nucleatum was discovered in the tissues of human colon cancer patients. Its role in colon cancer was highlighted. F. nucleatum may contribute to the progression of colon cancer through the mechanism of exosome-mediated miRNAs transfer. However, the exosomal miRNAs regulation mechanism by F. nucleatum in colon cancer is not well known. Thus, we performed next-generation sequencing to investigate the overall pattern of exosomal miRNAs expression in the colon cancer cell culture supernatant. We have confirmed the alterations of various exosomal miRNAs. In addition, to investigate the function of exosomal miRNAs, a Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis was performed on the target genes of changed miRNAs. Potential target genes were associated with a variety of signaling pathways, and one of these pathways was related to colorectal cancer. These findings suggested that F. nucleatum can alter exosomal miRNAs released from colorectal cancer cells. Furthermore, exosomal miRNAs altered by F. nucleatum could be potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and therapy of colon cancer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.311-320
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• 2019

Fusobacterium nucleatum is a morbific agent in periodontitis and halitosis. Egg yolk antibody (IgY) was obtained from egg yolks from chickens stimulated with F. nucleatum. This study was to assess the effectiveness of IgY on periodontitis and halitosis caused by F. nucleatum in vitro and in vivo. The growth of F. nucleatum was inhibited (p <0.05) by different concentrations of IgY in vitro and the results of a Halimeter show volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) were reduced to $904{\pm}57ppb$ at a concentration 40 mg/ml of IgY. The changes of fatty acids of F. nucleatum were determined using GC-MS. The scores for odor index of rat saliva were decreased. The major constituent of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including short-chain acids decreased 46.2% in 10 mg/ml IgY, ammonia decreased 70% in 40 mg/ml IgY, while aldehydes and olefine ketones were almost unchanged. The ELISA assay revealed that IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ were decreased after 4 weeks' IgY treatment. Morphometric (X-ray) and histological analyses (HE) showed that IgY reduced alveolar bone loss and collagen fibers became orderly in rat models. As a result, IgY may have the potential to treat periodontitis and halitosis.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.130-136
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• 2012

The GroEL heat-shock protein from Fusobacterium nucleatum, a periodontopathogen, activates risk factors for atherosclerosis in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) and ApoE-/- mice. In this study, we analyzed the signaling pathways by which F. nucleatum GroEL induces the proinflammatory factors in HMEC-1 cells known to be risk factors associated with the development of atherosclerosis and identified the cellular receptor used by GroEL. The MAPK and NF-${\kappa}B$ signaling pathways were found to be activated by GroEL to induce the expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), E-selectin, and tissue factor (TF). These effects were inhibited by a TLR4 knockdown. Our results thus indicate that TLR4 is a key receptor that mediates the interaction of F. nucleatum GroEL with HMEC-1 cells and subsequently induces an inflammatory response via the MAPK and NF-${\kappa}B$ pathways.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.255-264
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• 2016

The plethora of genome sequence information of bacteria in recent times has ushered in many novel strategies for antibacterial drug discovery and facilitated medical science to take up the challenge of the increasing resistance of pathogenic bacteria to current antibiotics. In this study, we adopted subtractive genomics approach to analyze the whole genome sequence of the Fusobacterium nucleatum, a human oral pathogen having association with colorectal cancer. Our study divulged 1,499 proteins of F. nucleatum, which have no homolog's in human genome. These proteins were subjected to screening further by using the Database of Essential Genes (DEG) that resulted in the identification of 32 vitally important proteins for the bacterium. Subsequent analysis of the identified pivotal proteins, using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) Automated Annotation Server (KAAS) resulted in sorting 3 key enzymes of F. nucleatum that may be good candidates as potential drug targets, since they are unique for the bacterium and absent in humans. In addition, we have demonstrated the three dimensional structure of these three proteins. Finally, determination of ligand binding sites of the 2 key proteins as well as screening for functional inhibitors that best fitted with the ligands sites were conducted to discover effective novel therapeutic compounds against F. nucleatum.