Involvement of gingipains in the peridontitis caused by Porphyromonas gingivalis

Peridontitis is one of the most common diseases in clinical practices for dentists. Porphyromonas gingivalis, a gram negative anaerobe, is closely related with peridontitis and its cell membrane gingipains, pilus as well as lipopolysaccharide are considered to be its most powerful virulence factors. As a result, Porphyromonas gingivalis now lie at the heart of the researches on the pathogenesis of peridontitis and this review concentrates on the recent research progresses in the structures of Porphyromonas gingivalis gingipains, its role in the pathogenesis of peridontitis, and the signal pathways involved as well.