Porphyromonas gingivalis exacerbates intestinal inflammation via gingipain-dependent gut microbiome dysbiosis (microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com)

• Oral P. gingivalis worsens colitis and promotes Th17 cell expansion in mice.
• Gingipain virulence factors are necessary for Pg-induced gut dysbiosis and inflammation.
• Co-housing or immunization with inactivated Pg can mitigate intestinal inflammation.

"Oral administration of P. gingivalis (Pg) exacerbates DSS-induced colitis in mice by inducing gut microbiome dysbiosis and increasing Th17 cells. The virulence factor gingipains are essential: triple knockout strains lacking gingipains show significantly reduced inflammation. Co-housing with healthy mice restores microbiota and attenuates inflammation, confirming the role of dysbiosis. Immunization with inactivated Pg prevents Th17 activation and inflammation."