A therapeutic Porphyromonas gingivalis gingipain vaccine induces neutralising IgG1 antibodies that protect against experimental periodontitis

A vaccine has been created from enzymes of the bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis that protects against periodontitis . Eric Reynolds, of the University of Melbourne, and reasearchers across Australia and the USA crafted their vaccine from P. gingivalis proteases thought to be key mediators of disease. The team found that their treatment elicited antibodies that protect against periodontitis as measured by loss of bone structure around the teeth. The enzymes targeted by the vaccine are known as ‘gingipains’– enzymes that enable P. gingivalis to colonize oral cavities, dysregulate the host’s immune response and instigate disease. The scientists’ vaccine presents an attenuated form of these enzymes, allowing the hosts’ immune system to develop antibodies that neutralise the gingipains and protect against disease. As moderate-to-severe periodontitis affects 1 in 3 adults, this study offers an important perspective on how to reduce disease in affected individuals.