ROLE OF CU, ZN SOD IN A. ACTINOMYCETEMCOMITANS

伴放线放线杆菌是一种革兰氏阴性口腔病原体， 局限性侵袭性牙周炎这种细菌还可以引起几种全身性疾病，包括 感染性心内膜炎A.伴放线菌产生白细胞毒素， 人白细胞，也可以破坏红细胞。我们最近的研究有力地表明白细胞毒素 与A.伴放线菌细菌铜、锌 SOD具有保护病原体免受宿主炎症细胞引起的氧化损伤的作用。铜、 Zn SOD也被证明可以结合血红素，并可能在铁和血红素的获得中发挥作用， 细菌 本研究旨在了解Cu、Zn SOD在A.伴放线菌 1.本实验研究了Cu、Zn SOD与白细胞毒素的相互作用。伴放线菌 2.本研究将对A.伴放线菌 本研究将扩大我们对A.伴放线菌和 可能会导致更好地了解不同推定的毒力因子之间的相互作用， 重要口腔病原体。

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is a Gram-negative oral pathogen that is the etiologic agent of localized aggressive periodontitis. This bacterium can also cause several systemic diseases including infective endocarditis. As one of virulence factors, A. actinomycetemcomitans produces leukotoxin that kills human leukocytes and can also destroy erythrocytes. Our recent work strongly suggests that leukotoxin interacts with Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn SOD) from A. actinomycetemcomitans. Bacterial Cu, Zn SODs have a role in protecting pathogens from the oxidative damage caused by host inflamatory cells. Cu, Zn SOD has also been shown to bind heme and potentially play a role in iron and heme acquisition by bacteria. The proposed studies seek to understand the role of Cu, Zn SOD in A. actinomycetemcomitans. 1. I will study the interaction between Cu, Zn SOD and leukotoxin from A. actinomycetemcomitans. 2. I will characterize Cu, Zn SOD function in A. actinomycetemcomitans. This study will expand our knowledge of the physiology and pathogenesis of A. actinomycetemcomitans and may lead to a better understanding of the interplay between different putative virulence factors of an important oral pathogen.