Evaluation of circulating IgG antibodies against Porphyromonas gingivalis or its gingipains as serological markers of periodontitis and carriage of the bacterium

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence indicates that periodontitis contributes to systemic low-grade inflammation. Porphyromonas gingivalis is strongly associated with periodontitis, and antibodies against the bacterium may be used as a serological proxy to account for periodontal status, when studying diseases associated with periodontitis. The aim of the present study is to identify an easily accessible and reliable serological biomarker for determination of periodontal status and oral carriage of the bacterium.

METHODS: Saliva and serum samples were collected from periodontally healthy controls (n = 27), and patients with periodontitis stage II (n = 12) or stages III or IV (n = 44). Serum levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against intact and fragmented P. gingivalis, recombinant gingipains (RgpA and RgpB), and the bacteria Escherichia coli and Capnocytophaga ochracea as controls were quantified with a multiplex bead-based assay. P. gingivalis was identified in saliva using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

RESULTS: Serum IgG antibodies against P. gingivalis whole bacteria were good indicators of periodontitis (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.64-0.85). The same was observed for levels of antibodies against P. gingivalis fragments (AUC: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.68-0.88). Likewise, levels of antibodies against P. gingivalis whole bacteria or P. gingivalis fragments were good indicators of oral carriage of P. gingivalis (AUC: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86-0.98 and AUC: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.92-1, respectively). Conversely, antibodies against recombinant RgpA and RgpB were not good indicators of periodontitis or oral carriage of the bacterium. None of the antibody levels differed significantly between stage II and stage III or IV periodontitis.

CONCLUSION: Serum IgG antibody levels against heat-inactivated whole P. gingivalis proved to be the preferable biomarker for periodontitis and oral carriage of the bacterium.