A Potential Role of Phospholipase 2 Group IIA (PLA2-IIA) in P. gingivalis-Induced Oral Dysbiosis

Abstract

Porphyromonas gingivalis is an oral pathogen with the ability to induce oral dysbiosis and periodontal disease. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which P. gingivalis could abrogate the host–microbe symbiotic relationship leading to oral dysbiosis remain unclear. We have recently demonstrated that P. gingivalis specifically increased the antimicrobial properties of oral epithelial cells, through a strong induction of the expression of PLA2-IIA in a mechanism that involves activation of the Notch-1 receptor. Moreover, gingival expression of PLA2-IIA was significantly increased during initiation and progression of periodontal disease in non-human primates and interestingly, those PLA2-IIA expression changes were concurrent with oral dysbiosis. In this chapter, we present an innovative hypothesis of a potential mechanism involved in P. gingivalis-induced oral dysbiosis and inflammation based on our previous observations and a robust body of literature that supports the antimicrobial and proinflammatory properties of PLA2-IIA as well as its role in other chronic inflammatory diseases.