Detection of specific antibodies against fimbriae and membrane proteins from the oral anaerobe Bacteroides gingivalis in patients with periodontal diseases.

Sera from a number of patients with periodontal diseases were shown to have specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against fimbriae and membrane proteins of Bacteroides gingivalis, a suspected pathogen, by using Western blottin analysis. The sera had a strong tendency to react with fimbriae, or exactly oligomeric structures of fimbriae with a native beta-structure rich-conformation. However, the sera did not react with fimbrilin, a constituent protein of fimbriae, which is denatured by sodium dodecyl sulfate.