Journal of Dental Research, Vol 65, 113-117, Copyright © 1986 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Kinin generation in the gingival inflammatory response to topically applied bacterial lipopolysaccharides
E. H. Montgomery and R. R. White
A water-soluble lipopolysaccharide from Salmonella enteritidis and a
phenol-soluble lipopolysaccharide from Leptotrichia buccalis were applied
topically to the healthy marginal gingivae of beagle dogs. Saline was
applied to contralateral areas as an internal control. Increases in
vascular permeability were monitored by measurement of gingival fluid, and
the collected gingival fluid samples were assayed for kininogenase and
kinin activities. Both lipopolysaccharides induced an inflammatory
response, as indicated by increased gingival fluid flow. Kininogenase-kinin
activities paralleled the increases in gingival fluid flow, with the
highest values being associated with peak increases in gingival fluid. The
results indicate that both lipopolysaccharides, although different in lipid
solubility, penetrate healthy sulcular epithelium and initiate an
inflammatory response which is mediated in part by the kallikrein-kinin
system. Interrelationships between this system and other inflammatory
mediators suggest that kinin generation not only plays a role in the early
phases of acute gingival inflammation, but may also contribute to the
activation of other mediators appearing later in the response and in
chronic inflammatory lesions.
