Journal of Dental Research, Vol 74, 1367-1373, Copyright © 1995 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals

ARTICLES

Volatile fatty acids, metabolic by-products of periodontopathic bacteria, inhibit lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production

T. Kurita-Ochiai, K. Fukushima and K. Ochiai
Department of Microbiology, Nihon University, School of Dentistry at Matsudo, Chiba, Japan.

Short-chain fatty acids are a major by-product of anaerobic metabolism and can be detected in gingival fluid from periodontal pockets. Since most T cells are present subjacent to the pocket epithelium in conjunction with the plasma cells, it is important to know how these T cells are affected by short-chain fatty acids produced by subgingival plaque. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of extracellular metabolites from periodontopathic bacteria on the proliferation and cytokine production of mouse splenic cells as a potential mechanism of imbalance among host-microbial interactions. A low-molecular-weight, heat-stable agent present in the two-day culture filtrate of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella loescheii, and Fusobacterium nucleatum significantly depressed Con A- and LPS- induced cell proliferation. To determine whether short-chain fatty acids present in the filtrate could account for the depression, we tested extracted volatile and non-volatile fatty acids for their effects on mitogenic activity. The volatile fatty acids extracted from immunosuppressive supernatants greatly inhibited T- and B- cell proliferation. Among these volatile fatty acids, butyric, propionic, valeric, and isovaleric acids impaired cell proliferation dose-dependently. From gas-liquid chromatographic analysis data, it is suggested that immuno-inhibitory activities in culture filtrates are mainly attributable to butyric and isovaleric acids in P. gingivalis, to propionic, butyric, and isovaleric acids in P. loescheii, and to butyric acid in F. nucleatum. Furthermore, these fatty acids significantly depressed interleukin 2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-10 production by Con A-stimulated splenic-T cells dose-dependently.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Kurita-Ochiai, S. Seto, N. Suzuki, M. Yamamoto, K. Otsuka, K. Abe, and K. Ochiai Butyric Acid Induces Apoptosis in Inflamed Fibroblasts J. Dent. Res., January 1, 2008; 87(1): 51 - 55. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. L. Morris, R. R. Arnold, and J. Webster-Cyriaque Signaling Cascades Triggered by Bacterial Metabolic End Products during Reactivation of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus J. Virol., June 1, 2007; 81(11): 6032 - 6042. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Kurita-Ochiai, S. Seto, and K. Ochiai Role of Cell-Cell Communication in Inhibiting Butyric Acid-Induced T-Cell Apoptosis Infect. Immun., October 1, 2004; 72(10): 5947 - 5954. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Kurita-Ochiai, S. Amano, K. Fukushima, and K. Ochiai Cellular Events Involved in Butyric Acid-Induced T Cell Apoptosis J. Immunol., October 1, 2003; 171(7): 3576 - 3584. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Kurita-Ochiai, K. Ochiai, N. Suzuki, K. Otsuka, and K. Fukushima Human Gingival Fibroblasts Rescue Butyric Acid-Induced T-Cell Apoptosis Infect. Immun., May 1, 2002; 70(5): 2361 - 2367. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Takahashi, T. Sato, and T. Yamada Metabolic Pathways for Cytotoxic End Product Formation from Glutamate- and Aspartate-Containing Peptides by Porphyromonas gingivalis J. Bacteriol., September 1, 2000; 182(17): 4704 - 4710. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				T. Kurita-Ochiai, K. Fukushima, and K. Ochiai Lipopolysaccharide Stimulates Butyric Acid-Induced Apoptosis in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Infect. Immun., January 1, 1999; 67(1): 22 - 29. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Kurita-Ochiai, K. Ochiai, and K. Fukushima Volatile Fatty Acid, Metabolic By-Product of Periodontopathic Bacteria, Induces Apoptosis in WEHI 231 and RAJI B Lymphoma Cells and Splenic B Cells Infect. Immun., June 1, 1998; 66(6): 2587 - 2594. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]