Innocent until proven guilty: Tannerella forsythia may attenuate the virulence of Porphyromonas gingivalis

Abstract

Periodontitis is caused by a dysbiotic microbiome beneath the gum line, primarily driven by the major pathobionts Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) and Tannerella forsythia (Tf). Their virulence depends on the excessive, uncontrolled activity of secreted proteases that sustain chronic inflammation, leading to the destruction of tissues supporting the tooth. Paradoxically, Tf also encodes multiple protease inhibitors, including miropin, a serpin with a broad range of targets. Here, we demonstrate that both native and recombinant miropin effectively inhibit lysine-specific gingipain (Kgp) and thiol protease (Tpr), impairing the growth of Pg in peptide-limited media and reducing its virulence in vivo. A rationally designed variant, RVK-miropin, also inhibited both lysine-specific and arginine-specific gingipains, fully suppressing Pg proliferation and virulence in a mouse infection model. Miropin is abundant on the surface of Tf and forms covalent inhibitory complexes with Pg proteases. In an oral gavage model of periodontitis, coinfection with wild-type Tf (but not a miropin-deficient mutant) and Pg significantly reduced alveolar bone loss caused by Pg alone. Miropin thus counteracts Pg virulence factors and host inflammatory responses, revealing an unexpected protective role for Tf. This challenges the traditional view of Tf as a primary periodontal pathogen, suggesting a context-dependent role as a microbial modulator within the dysbiotic biofilm. Beyond periodontal disease, the unique ability of miropin to inhibit structurally diverse proteases makes it a promising candidate for the development of new therapies that restore proteolytic balance in the periodontium.