Porphyromonas gingivalis activates NFκB and MAPK pathways in human oral epithelial cells

BACKGROUND: The bacterial biofilm at the gingival margin induces a host immune reaction. In this local inflammation epithelial cells defend the host against bacterial challenge. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a keystone pathogen, infects epithelial cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the activation of signaling cascades in primary epithelial cells and oral cancer cell lines by a profiler PCR array. RESULTS: After infection with P. gingivalis membranes the RNA of 16 to 33 of 84 key genes involved in the antibacterial immune response was up-regulated, amongst them were IKBKB (NF-κB signaling pathway), IRF5 (TLR signaling) and JUN, MAP2K4, MAPK14 and MAPK8 (MAPK pathway) in SCC-25 cells and IKBKB, IRF5, JUN, MAP2K4, MAPK14 and MAPK8 in PHGK. Statistically significant up-regulation of IKBKB (4.7 ×), MAP2K4 (4.6 ×), MAPK14 (4.2 ×) and IRF5 (9.8 ×) (p < 0.01) was demonstrated in SCC-25 cells and IKBKB (3.1 ×), MAP2K4 (4.0 ×) MAPK 14 (3.0 ×) (p < 0.05), IRF5 (3.0 ×) and JUN (7.7 ×) (p < 0.01) were up-regulated in PHGK. CONCLUSIONS: P. gingivalis membrane up-regulates the expression of genes involved in downstream TLR, NFκB and MAPK signaling pathways involved in the pro-inflammatory immune response in primary and malignant oral epithelial cells. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12865-016-0185-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.