Cross‐reactivity of GroEL antibodies with human heat shock protein 60 and quantification of pathogens in atherosclerosis

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Abstract
Background/aims:  Chronic infections such as those caused by Chlamydia pneumoniae and periodontopathic bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis have been associated with atherosclerosis, possibly due to cross‐reactivity of the immune response to bacterial GroEL with human heat shock protein (hHSP) 60.Methods:  We examined the cross‐reactivity of anti‐GroEL and anti‐P. gingivalis antibodies with hHSP60 in atherosclerosis patients and quantified a panel of six pathogens in atheromas.Results:  After absorption of plasma samples with hHSP60, there were variable reductions in the levels of anti‐GroEL and anti‐P. gingivalis antibodies, suggesting that these antibodies cross‐reacted with hHSP60. All of the artery specimens were positive for P. gingivalis. Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tannerella forsythia, C. pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, and Haemophilus influenzae were found in 84%, 48%, 28%, 4%, and 4% of arteries, respectively. The prevalence of the three periodontopathic microorganisms, P. gingivalis, F. nucleatum and T. forsythia, was significantly higher than that of the remaining three microorganisms.Conclusions:  These results support the hypothesis that in some patients, cross‐reactivity of the immune response to bacterial HSPs including those of periodontal pathogens, with arterial endothelial cells expressing hHSP60 may be a possible mechanism for the association between atherosclerosis and periodontal infection.