Filifactor alocis FtxA blocks inflammation and apoptosis pathways in monocytic cellsShow others and affiliations
2026 (English)In: Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, E-ISSN 2235-2988, Vol. 16, article id 1745721Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Filifactor alocis is an emerging oral pathogen, and approximately 50% of known F.alocis strains encode and express a Repeats-in-Toxin (RTX) protein, FtxA. FtxAappears to be associated with both progress and severity of periodontal disease.Mechanisms are not yet known but could be linked to increased loads of F. alocisin ftxA-positive strains. Here, we investigated mechanistic correlations based onFtxA-activity, as present in F. alocis cells and extracellular vesicles and as arecombinant protein, exploiting THP-1 macrophage-like cells. For this, we usedthe ftxA-expressing strain, ATCC 35896 (ftxA+), and F. alocis 148B-17U (ftxA−),which naturally lacks the ftxA gene. Using RNA sequencing analysis (RNA-Seq) andcytokine array analysis, we have pinpointed a role of FtxA in shifting host responsetoward immunosuppression, also inhibiting apoptosis and immune cellrecruitment, and with a potential role in downregulating mitochondrial andoxidative phosphorylation pathways. Such role(s) could provide a plausibleexplanation why FtxA is associated with progress and severity of periodontaldisease, and further studies on FtxA-host cell interactions might reveal novelpotential therapeutic targets.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Frontiers Media S.A., 2026. Vol. 16, article id 1745721
Keywords [en]
apoptosis, extracellular vesicles, Filifactor alocis, FtxA, inflammation, periodontitis, RTX toxin, THP-1 cells
National Category
Medical Biotechnology (Focus on Cell Biology, (incl. Stem Cell Biology), Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or Biopharmacy) Odontology
Research subject
Medical Cell Biology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-251396DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2026.1745721ISI: 001732649800001PubMedID: 41947787Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105035265389OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-251396DiVA, id: diva2:2048071
Funder
Region Västerbotten, 7003766Region Västerbotten, 7005008Umeå UniversitySwedish Research Council, 2022-01014Swedish Research Council, 2022–04779The Kempe Foundations2026-03-232026-03-232026-05-07Bibliographically approved
In thesis