Foam cell formation and atherosclerosis induced by periodontal pathogens.

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Recent investigations suggest that one of the risk factor of atherosclerosis is periodontitis. In the study, we found that oral S. sanguinis stimulates foam cell formation from human macrophage cell line THP-1. Both viable and heat-killed S. sanguinis was capable of inducing foam cell formation. However, large amount of viable cells induced cell death of infected macrophages. The cell death was found to be related to the production of reactive oxygen species. These results suggest possible involvement of oral streptococci in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis as well as in that of infectious endocarditis.