# Porphyromonas gingivalis glycine lipids mediate bone loss through TLR2

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT · 2022 · $385,605

## Abstract

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a periodontal pathogen implicated in the initiation and progression of
chronic periodontitis in adults. We recently demonstrated that this organism produces two novel
classes of serine lipids that inhibit bone cell function and activate macrophages to release important
cytokines. At least one of these serine lipids also mediates its effects on mouse bone cells and
macrophages through engagement of the innate immune system, specifically through Toll Receptor 2
(TLR2). We also have recently discovered a new class of glycine lipids in P. gingivalis that also
engage TLR2. The glycine class called Lipid 342 engages TLR2 but contains only one acyl chain,
indicating that it is the smallest TLR2 agonist yet described. Understanding how glycine lipids promote
TLR2-dependent cellular effects is relevant specifically to the reported effects of P. gingivalis on
periodontal bone loss in experimental animals. P. gingivalis glycine lipids are unusual in that they can
be produced from serine lipids when exposed to primary cultures of mouse bone marrow macrophages
and Lipid 342 can be produced from another glycine lipid, Lipid 567, when treated with phospholipase
A2 (PLA2). Of note, chronic inflammation is associated with increased expression of PLA2 which
results in elevated prostaglandin levels within chronically inflamed tissues. This application proposes to
quantify the uptake and hydrolysis of serine and glycine lipids in human gingival cells including
epithelial, fibrobast and macrophages. Next, we will evaluate the capacity of these lipid classes to
engage TLR2 and its co-receptor in primary cultures of the human gingival cells. Finally, we will
evaluate the capacity of these lipid classes to promote osteoclast formation from human macrophages.
Human macrophages will be differentiated from peripheral blood monocytes by treatment with M-CSF
and osteoclast formation will be evaluated after treatment with the glycine of serine lipid classes. We
will also treat M-CSF differentiated macrophages with the various classes of glycine and serine lipids
and evaluate the capacity of macrophage culture supernatants to promote osteoclast formation. The
experiments summarized in this proposal will clarify how P. gingivalis promotes TLR2-dependent bone
loss in periodontal diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10327687
- **Project number:** 5R01DE027642-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT
- **Principal Investigator:** FRANK C NICHOLS
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $385,605
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-02-01 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10327687

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10327687, Porphyromonas gingivalis glycine lipids mediate bone loss through TLR2 (5R01DE027642-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10327687. Licensed CC0.

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