Oral administration of Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 is effective in preventing Porphyromonas gingivalis-accelerated periodontal disease.

Probiotics have been used to treat gastrointestinal disorders. However, the effect of orally intubated probiotics on oral disease remains unclear. We assessed the potential of oral administration of Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 (LG2055) for Porphyromonas gingivalis infection. LG2055 treatment significantly reduced alveolar bone loss, detachment and disorganization of the periodontal ligament, and bacterial colonization by subsequent P. gingivalis challenge. Furthermore, the expression and secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 in gingival tissue was significantly decreased in LG2055-administered mice after bacterial infection. Conversely, mouse β-defensin-14 (mBD-14) mRNA and its peptide products were significantly increased in distant mucosal components as well as the intestinal tract to which LG2055 was introduced. Moreover, IL-1β and TNF-α production from THP-1 monocytes stimulated with P. gingivalis antigen was significantly reduced by the addition of human β-defensin-3. These results suggest that gastrically administered LG2055 can enhance immunoregulation followed by periodontitis prevention in oral mucosa via the gut immune system; i.e., the possibility of homing in innate immunity.