Journal of Proteomics & Bioinformatics
Open Access

Abstract

Application of Proteomic Technologies to Discover and Identify Biomarkers for Periodontal Diseases: Moesin is a Potential Mediator and Biomarker for Periodontal Disease

Sachio Tsuchida, Mamoru Satoh, Kazuyuki Sogawa, Takayuki Ishige, Syunske Segawa, Sayaka Kado, Bahityar Rahmutulla, Mayumi Ogita, Setsu Sawai, Minako Beppu, Motoi Nishimura, Akira Aoki, Yoshio Kodera, Kazuyuki Matsushita, Yuichi Izumi and Fumio Nomura

As a fluid in close proximity to periodontal tissue, the Gingival Crevicular Fluid (GCF) is the principal target in the search for biomarkers of periodontal disease, because its protein composition may reflect disease pathophysiology.

For the identification of novel GCF biomarkers of periodontal disease, GCF samples from five patients with severe periodontal disease were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. Two hundred twenty-five proteins were identified as possible candidates for GCF biomarkers. Of these marker candidates, we focused on a protein not well studied in periodontal disease, i.e., moesin, a member of the ezrin– radixin–moesin family. Western blotting analysis revealed that moesin expression in GCF was higher in patients with severe periodontal disease than in controls. We further examined moesin protein expression levels in human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Porphyromonas gingivalis. Moesin expression in HGFs was found to be increased by LPS treatment in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that moesin may be involved in progression of periodontal disease and is a potential biomarker of periodontal disease.