Abstract
Vascular response is an essential aspect of an effective immune response to periodontal disease pathogens, as new blood vessel formation contributes to wound healing and inflammation. Gaining a greater understanding of the factors that affect vascular response may then contribute to future breakthroughs in dental medicine. In this study, we have characterized the endothelial cell response to the common bacterium Fusobacterium nucleatum, an important bridging species that facilitates the activity of late colonizers of the dental biofilm. Endothelial cells were infected with Fusobacterium nucleatum (strain 25586) for periods of 4, 12, 24, or 48 h. Cell proliferation and tube formation were analyzed, and expression of adhesion molecules (CD31 and CD34) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors 1 and 2 was measured by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis. Data indicate that F. nucleatum impaired endothelial cell proliferation and tube formation. The findings suggest that the modified endothelial cell response acts as a mechanism promoting the pathogenic progression of periodontal diseases and may potentially suggest the involvement of periodontopathogens in systemic diseases associated with periodontal inflammation.