Heterogeneity in the collagen-degrading ability of Porphyromonas gingivalis-stimulated human gingival fibroblasts.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to characterize the heterogeneity of the collagen-degrading ability of different human gingival fibroblast cell lines treated with Porphyromonas gingivalis supernatant.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Seven human gingival fibroblast cell lines were analyzed for their ability to cleave Type I collagen in the presence and absence of culture supernatant from P. gingivalis ATCC 33277 (10% v/v). The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) produced by these human gingival fibroblasts were monitored at the protein level by zymography and/or western blot analyses, as well as at the mRNA level by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

The collagen-degrading ability of the human gingival fibroblasts increased in four cell lines (aggressive) and was only slightly altered in the other three cell lines (nonaggressive) in the presence of P. gingivalis supernatant. MMP-1, MMP-2, and MMP-3 more readily underwent activation while the TIMP-1 level was decreased in the conditioned media from a P. gingivalis-treated human gingival fibroblast aggressive cell line. None of these was altered in a nonaggressive cell line. The mRNA levels of the MMPs and TIMPs were only slightly different between these two cell lines.

CONCLUSION

Heterogeneity exists in human gingival fibroblasts in regard to their collagenolytic activity in the presence of P. gingivalis.