Epithelial Cell Surface Sites Involved in the Polyvalent Adherence of Porphyromonas gingivalis: a Convincing Role for Neuraminic Acid and Glucuronic Acid

We investigated the target structures of the epithelial cells responsible for the attachment of Porphyromonas gingivalis by immunocytofluorimetry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and confocal microscopy. Integrins (β1, β3, and αV) and E-cadherin played no significant role. Carbohydrates (such as α-d-methylglucoside, l-fucose, d- and l-mannose, N-acetylglucosamine, and N-acetylgalactosamine) had little inhibitory effect on bacterial binding. Enzymatic treatments of the epithelial membranes and sugar competition studies showed that N-acetylneuraminic acid and glucuronic acid were involved in binding.