Polymicrobial-driven NLRP6 inflammasome regulates 1 IL-1b production and alveolar bone loss in a murine model of periodontitis

Here, we test and find that the keystone pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis can activate macrophages in a manner that allows for increased S. gordonii survival and IL-1b production above levels when P. gingivalis interacts with macrophages alone. We also use the mouse ligature-induced periodontal disease model to test the importance of NLRP6 in disease development. We found mice lacking NLRP6 had significantly reduced bone loss, IL-1b, and neutrophil infiltration following disease induced by P. gingivalis when S. gordonii or other mouse commensals were present, but had no effect when S. gordonii was inoculated alone.

This work thus reveals an additional important inflammasome activation mechanism by which oral keystone pathogens may stimulate periodontal disease progression.