H R Lee

Publications (2)0 Total impact

• Article: Fusobacterium nucleatum GroEL induces risk factors of atherosclerosis in human microvascular endothelial cells and ApoE(-/-) mice.

  H-R Lee, H-K Jun, H-D Kim, S-H Lee, B-K Choi
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  ABSTRACT: Infection and inflammation are risk factors in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. Periodontitis is one of the most prevalent chronic inflammations of the oral cavity, and has been reported to be associated with systemic disease. In this study, we evaluated whether the heat-shock protein GroEL of Fusobacterium nucleatum, one of the most prevalent bacteria in periodontitis, induces factors that predispose to atherosclerosis in human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) and apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE(-/-)) mice. GroEL induced the expression of chemokines such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and interleukin-8 as well as cell adhesion molecules, such as intercellular adhesion molecule 1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and E-selectin. GroEL induced the activity of tissue factor and reduced the activity of the tissue factor pathway inhibitor. Foam cell formation was induced by GroEL. GroEL-injected ApoE(-/-) mice showed significant atherosclerotic lesion progression compared with control mice. Serum levels of risk factors for atherosclerosis such as interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and low-density lipoprotein were increased in GroEL-injected ApoE(-/-) mice compared with control mice, whereas serum levels of high-density lipoprotein were decreased. We could detect significantly higher levels of anti-F. nucleatum GroEL antibody in serum and F. nucleatum DNA in gingival crevicular fluid from patients with periodontitis than in that from healthy subjects. Our results indicate that the host response to the GroEL of periodontal pathogens like F. nucleatum may be a mechanism involved in atherosclerosis, supporting the association of periodontitis and systemic infection.
  Molecular oral microbiology. 04/2012; 27(2):109-23.
• Article: In-vivo-induced antigenic determinants of Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. nucleatum.

  H-R Lee, I-C Rhyu, H-D Kim, H-K Jun, B-M Min, S-H Lee, B-K Choi
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  ABSTRACT: Fusobacterium nucleatum plays a pivotal role in dental plaque biofilm formation and is known to be involved in chronic inflammatory systemic disease. However, limited knowledge of F. nucleatum genes expressed in vivo interferes with our understanding of pathogenesis. In this study, we identified F. nucleatum genes induced in vivo using in-vivo-induced antigen technology (IVIAT). Among 30,000 recombinant clones screened, 87 reacted reproducibly with pooled sera from 10 patients with periodontitis. The clones encoded for 32 different proteins, of which 28 could be assigned to their functions, which were categorized in translation, transcription, transport, energy metabolism, cell envelope, cellular process, fatty acid and phospholipid metabolism, transposition, cofactor biosynthesis, amino acid biosynthesis, and DNA replication. Putative virulence factors detected were ABC transporter, butyrate-acetoacetate CoA-transferase, hemin receptor, hemolysin, hemolysin-related protein, LysR family transcriptional regulator, serine protease, and transposase. Analysis of immune responses to the in-vivo-induced (ivi) antigens in five patients demonstrated that most were reactive to these proteins, confirming results with pooled sera. IVIAT-identified F. nucleatum genes in this study may accelerate the elucidation of F. nucleatum-mediated molecular pathogenesis.
  Molecular oral microbiology. 04/2011; 26(2):164-72.