Aggregatibacter Actinomycetemcomitans – Its Role in Periodontitis
Raadha Ragavendran1, V. Ramya2, Preethe Paddmanabhan31Tutor, Department of Periodontics, Tagore Dental College and Hospital, Rathinamangalam, Chennai 2Reader, Department of Periodontics, Sree Balaji Dental College and Hospital, Bharath University, Chennai-600100 3Senior Lecturer, Department of Periodontics, Sree Balaji Dental College and Hospital, Bharath University, Chennai-600100
Abstract: Strong evidence is available on the role of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A.a) as the causative agent of localised juvenile periodontitis (LJP), a disease characterised by rapid destruction of the tooth-supporting tissues. This organism possesses a large number of virulence factors with a wide range of activities which enable it to colonise the oral cavity, invade periodontal tissues, evade host defences, initiate connective tissue destruction and interfere with tissue repair. Adhesion to epithelial and tooth surfaces is dependent on the presence of surface proteins and structures such as microvesicles and fimbriae. Invasion has been demonstrated in vivo and in vitro. The organism has a number of means of evading host defences, which include: (i) production of leukotoxin; (ii) producing immunosuppressive factors; (iv) secreting proteases capable of cleaving IgG; and (v) producing Fc-binding.
Keywords: Periodontitis; Leukotoxin; Lipopolysaccharide Back to TOC