Porphyromonas gingivalis Differentially Modulates Apoptosome Apoptotic Peptidase Activating Factor 1 in Epithelial Cells and Fibroblasts

Porphyromonas gingivalis is able to invade and modulate host-immune response to promote its survival. This bacterium modulates the cell cycle and programed cell death, contributing to periodontal lesion worsening. Several molecular pathways have been identified as key triggers of apoptosis, including apoptosome apoptotic peptidase activating factor 1 (APAF-1). Apaf-1 and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (Xiap) mRNA were differentially expressed between gingival samples harvested from human healthy and chronic periodontitis tissues (Apaf-1, 19.2-fold; caspase-9, 14.5-fold; caspase-3, 6.8-fold; Xiap: 2.5-fold in chronic periodontitis) (P < 0.05), highlighting their potential role in periodontitis. An increased proteic expression of APAF-1 was also observed in a murine experimental periodontitis model induced by P. gingivalis-soaked ligatures. In vitro, it was observed that P. gingivalis targets APAF-1, XIAP, caspase-3, and caspase-9, to inhibit epithelial cell death at both mRNA and protein levels. Opposite effect was observed in fibroblasts in which P. gingivalis increased cell death and apoptosis. To assess if the observed effects were associated to APAF-1, epithelial cells and fibroblasts were transfected with siRNA targeting Apaf-1. Herein, we confirmed that APAF-1 is targeted by P. gingivalis in both cell types. This study identified APAF-1 apoptosome and XIAP as intracellular targets of P. gingivalis, contributing to the deterioration of periodontal lesion through an increased persistence of the bacteria within tissues and the subversion of host-immune response.