Glycylprolyl dipeptidase activity of Bacteroides gingivalis W50 and the avirulent variant W50/BEI

Advances in Therapeutic Applications of Extracellular Vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoscale bilayer phospholipid membrane vesicles released by cells. Contained large molecules such as nucleic acid, protein, and lipid, EVs are an integral part of cell communication. The contents of EVs vary based on the cell source and play an important role in both pathological and physiological conditions. EVs can be used as drugs or targets in disease treatment, and changes in the contents of EVs can indicate the progression of diseases. In recent years, with the continuous exploration of the structure, characteristics, and functions of EVs, the potential of engineered EVs for drug delivery and therapy being constantly explored. This review provides a brief overview of the structure, characteristics and functions of EVs, summarizes the advanced application of EVs and outlook on the prospect of it. It is our hope that this review will increase understanding of the current development of medical applications of EVs and help us overcome future challenges.

Extracellular vesicle-associated and soluble trypsin-like enzyme fractions of Porphyromonas gingivalis W50

Soluble vesicle-associated trypsin-like enzyme fractions (VSF) were prepared by sonication from extracellular vesicles (ECV) from strains W50 and W50/BE1. High-(H), intermediate-(I) and low-(L) molecular-weight VSF enzyme subfractions were identified by non-dissociative gel filtration chromatography with Mr 160, 95 and 60 kDa respectively. The chromatographic profiles of W50 VSF from 48-h and 72-h cultures were identical. W50/BE1 VSF displayed a higher ratio of the 160 to 60 kDa components. This ratio was reduced in VSF from 72-h cultures. Extracellular soluble protein (EP) trypsin profiles were similar to their respective VSF, but the 60 kDa component predominated. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) revealed a loss of soluble extracellular polypeptides with culture age. A polyclonal antiserum to EP subfraction L reacted in immunoblots with a 50 kDa peptide of subfraction L of W50. Whole EP and its subfraction H displayed a 50 kDa immunoreactive peptide but no peptides of higher molecular weight. This antiserum reacted with a similar sized peptide, and with lower-molecular-weight components in whole ECV. Gelatin substrate zymography of whole EP following non-reducing SDS-PAGE revealed a major 80 kDa protease that increased with culture age. Minor protease bands of 70 and 50 kDa were also detected.

Specific cell components of Bacteroides gingivalis mediate binding and degradation of human fibrinogen

Bacteroides (Porphyromonas) gingivalis, which has been implicated as an etiologic agent in human periodontal diseases, has been shown to bind and degrade human fibrinogen. B. gingivalis strains bind fibrinogen reversibly and with high affinity and bind to a specific region of the fibrinogen molecule that appears to be located between the D and E domains (M. S. Lantz, R. D. Allen, P. Bounelis, L. M. Switalski, and M. Hook, J. Bacteriol. 172:716-726, 1990). We now report that human fibrinogen is bound and then degraded by specific B. gingivalis components that appear to be localized at the cell surface. Fibrinogen binding to bacterial cells occurred at 4, 22, and 37 degrees C. A functional fibrinogen-binding component (Mr, 150,000) was identified when sodium dodecyl sulfate-solubilized bacteria were fractionated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, transferred to nitrocellulose membranes, and probed with 125I-fibrinogen. Fibrinogen degradation did not occur at 4 degrees C but did occur at 22 and 37 degrees C. When bacteria and iodinated fibrinogen were incubated at 37 degrees C, two major fibrinogen fragments (Mr, 97,000 and 50,000) accumulated in incubation mixture supernatant fractions. Two major fibrinogen-degrading components (Mr, 120,000 and 150,000) have been identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in substrate-containing gels. Fibrinogen degradation by the Mr-120,000 and -150,000 proteases was enhanced by reducing agents, completely inhibited by N-alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysyl chloromethyl ketone, and partially inhibited by n-ethyl maleimide, suggesting that these enzymes are thiol-dependent proteases with trypsinlike substrate specificity. The fibrinogen-binding component could be separated from the fibrinogen-degrading components by selective solubilization of bacteria in sodium deoxycholate.