Click on image to view larger version.
Figure 4. (A,B) Bone loss after infection with T. forsythia in BALB/cByJ mice. Sites 1, 2, & 3 are on first molars, sites 4 & 5 are on second molars, and sites 6 & 7 are on third molars. L, left; R, right. Data points represent the mean ± SEM from 8 mice. (A) Comparison between the T. forsythia 43037 (Tf43037)-infected and sham-infected mice. The CEJ:ABC was greater in Tf43037-infected mice than in sham-infected mice at every site, indicating bone loss. (B) Comparison between the mutant BFM571- and sham-infected mice. (C) Comparison of total horizontal bone loss between groups calculated as the average of 14-site total CEJ-ABC distance for each group. Data represented as the millimeter bone loss per site per group. Significant T. forsythia 43037-induced alveolar bone loss was observed as compared with that in sham-infected controls. Bone loss in mice infected with the mutant strain BFM571 was not significantly different from that in sham-infected mice. Immunization with rBspA protein significantly reduced T. forsythia 43037-induced bone loss in mice. *Values significantly greater than in sham-infected controls (P < 0.05). P = NS, not significant compared with controls.
