Cleavage and activation of proteinase-activated receptor-2 on human neutrophils by gingipain-R from Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Gingipain-R, the major arginine-specific proteinase from Porphyromonas gingivalis, a causative agent of adult periodontal disease, was found to cleave a model peptide representing the cleavage site of proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2), a G-protein-coupled receptor found on the surface of neutrophils. The bacterial proteinase was also shown to induce an increase in the intracellular calcium concentration of enzyme-treated neutrophils, most probably due to PAR-2 activation. This response by neutrophils to gingipain-R may be a mechanism for the development of inflammation associated with periodontal disease.