Immunobiological activities of a chemically synthesized lipid A of Porphyromonas gingivalis.

T Ogawa, Y Asai, H Yamamoto, Y Taiji, T Jinno, T Kodama, S Niwata, H Shimauchi, K Ochiai

Index: FEMS Immunol. Med. Microbiol. 28(4) , 273-81, (2000)

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Abstract

A synthetic lipid A of Porphyromonas gingivalis strain 381 (compound PG-381), which is similar to its natural lipid A, demonstrated no or very low endotoxic activities as compared to Escherichia coli-type synthetic lipid A (compound 506). On the other hand, compound PG-381 had stronger hemagglutinating activities on rabbit erythrocytes than compound 506. Compound PG-381 also induced mitogenic responses in spleen cells from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-hyporesponsive C3H/HeJ mice, as well as LPS-responsive C3H/HeN mice. The addition of polymyxin B resulted in the inhibition of mitogenic activities, however, compound 506 did not show these capacities. Additionally, compound PG-381 showed a lower level of activity in inducing cytokine production in peritoneal macrophages and gingival fibroblasts from C3H/HeN mice, but not C3H/HeJ mice, in comparison to compound 506. Thus, this study demonstrates that the chemical synthesis of lipid A, mimicking the natural lipid A portion of LPS from P. gingivalis, confirms its low endotoxic potency and immunobiological activity.