Porphyromonas gingivalis outer membrane protein (PgOMP)

Porphyromonas gingivalis outer membrane proteins (PgOMPs) are a diverse group of surface-exposed proteins that function as primary virulence factors for the keystone periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis [4, 6, 7]. These proteins, which include the major proteases known as gingipains (RgpA, RgpB, Kgp), fimbriae subunits (FimA, Mfa1), and nutrient transporters (RagA, RagB), are essential for bacterial adhesion to oral tissues, biofilm stability, and nutrient acquisition [2, 8, 15]. PgOMPs are frequently packaged into outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), which allow the bacterium to deliver virulence factors to distant host tissues, contributing to systemic conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disorders [10, 16, 17]. Therapeutic strategies targeting PgOMPs include the development of subunit vaccines to elicit protective immunity and small-molecule inhibitors like Atuzaginstat that block the proteolytic activity of membrane-associated gingipains [5, 6, 11]. Clinical development faces significant challenges, notably the high heterogeneity among P. gingivalis strains and the risk of disrupting the protective commensal oral microbiome [5, 9].

Other names

RagARagBOmpA-like protein40-kDa OMPGingipainHemagglutininFimbriae proteinMfa1FimAP. gingivalis OMP

Gingipain inhibition, Vaccine-mediated antibody neutralization, Inhibition of bacterial adhesion, Photodynamic degradation