Porphyromonas gingivalis, periodontal pathogen, lipopolysaccharide induces angiogenesis via extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activation in human vascular endothelial cells.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major periodontal pathogen. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) secreted from P. gingivalis is implicated in the initiation and progression of periodontitis. Aberrant angiogenesis is often associated with lesion formation in chronic periodontitis. In this study, we report that P. gingivalis LPS activates angiogenic cascade, migration, invasion and tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Furthermore, P. gingivalis LPS potently stimulated in vivo neovascularization in chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and the mouse Matrigel plug assay. P. gingivalis LPS had no effect on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or its receptor, Flk-1, implying that P. gingivalis LPS-induced angiogenesis may result from its direct action on endothelial cells. P. gingivalis LPS evoked activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK1/2 in HUVECs, which is closely linked to angiogenesis. Taken together, these results strongly suggest P. gingivalis LPS plays an important role in the pathological angiogenesis for periodontal diseases, such as periodontitis.