Porphyromonas gingivalis‐derived lipopolysaccharide causes excessive hepatic lipid accumulation via activating NF‐κB and JNK signaling pathways

Background Porphyromonas gingivalis is the main pathogen of periodontal disease affecting over half of the worldwide adult population. Recent studies have shown that P. gingivalis is related to the development of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a global major chronic liver disease, especially in developed countries. However, how P. gingivalis contributes to the pathogenesis of NAFLD has not been fully clarified. We aimed to conduct a preliminary exploration of the underlying mechanism of P. gingivalis infection in the development of NAFLD. Methods Human hepatocellular cells HepG2 were incubated with/without oleic acid (OA) and tested for lipid accumulation upon stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) derived from P. gingivalis or Escherichia coli. Intracellular lipid droplet formation was analyzed and quantified by Oil Red O staining. The involvement of signaling pathway molecules and pro‐inflammatory cytokines related to NF‐κB and MAPKs were examined with Western blot and quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR) analyses and further evaluated with inhibitor treatment and RNA interference. Results HepG2 cells accumulated more intracellular lipids when stimulated with P. gingivalis LPS, as compared to cells treated with E. coli LPS or control. Further pathway analysis demonstrated that after stimulation with P. gingivalis LPS, cells displayed significantly upregulated MyD88 expression, increased phosphorylation of p65 and JNK, and more release of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, such as IL‐1, IL‐8, and TNF‐α. In addition, suppression of phosphorylation of p65 and JNK by inhibitors and RNA interference resulted in a reduction in lipid accumulation upon P. gingivalis LPS treatment. Conclusions These results suggest that P. gingivalis‐derived LPS may contribute to intracellular lipid accumulation and inflammatory reaction of HepG2 cells via the activation of NF‐κB and JNK signaling pathways. This study offers a possible explanation to the functional involvement of P. gingivalis infection in the pathological progression of NAFLD. These findings may help design new treatment strategies in NAFLD.