Periodontitis, one of the most common inflammatory oral diseases in human beings, threatens the health of teeth and mouth and is closely associated with the development of many systemic diseases. Existing research about the pathogenesis of periodontitis mainly focuses on the oral microbial homeostasis and its complex interaction with the immune system. Among all the oral microorganisms, Porphyromonas gingivalis ( P. gingivalis) is considered to be the main pathogen causing chronic periodontitis. Recent studies have shown that P. gingivalis poesseses HmuY, a special heme binding protein, which binds with heme to provide essential nutrition for P. gingivalis and activates the host immune system. Therefore, HmuY plays an important role in the growth, proliferation, invasion, and pathogenesis of P. gingivalis and is a potential virulence factor of the bacteria. Existing studies on HmuY are limited to the host immune response that HmuY triggers, and there are still no conclusive findings on whether HmuY participates in the pathogenesis of periodontitis through other ways, such as influencing periodontal bone metabolism. Herein, we reviewed the latest research findings on the biological characteristics and physiological functions of HmuY and its relationship with chronic periodontitis, so as to provide new ideas for in-depth research and further explorations into the pathogenesis of chronic periodontitis.
牙周炎是人类最常见的口腔感染性疾病之一，不仅严重损害口腔健康，还与多种系统性疾病的发展密切相关。对牙周炎发病机制的研究，如今集中在口腔微生物稳态及其与免疫系统的复杂相互作用上。牙龈卟啉单胞菌被认为是慢性牙周炎的主要致病菌。近年来研究发现，牙龈卟啉单胞菌拥有一种特殊的血红素结合蛋白HmuY，其能结合血红素为细菌提供必需的营养，还能激活宿主免疫系统，对牙龈卟啉单胞菌在宿主体内的生长增殖、侵袭致病有着重要作用，是潜在的毒力因子。目前，针对HmuY的研究局限于其引发的宿主免疫反应，而对其是否通过其他方式如影响牙周骨组织代谢等参与牙周炎发病尚无定论。本综述跟进有关牙龈卟啉单胞菌HmuY蛋白的生物学特性、生理功能及其与牙周炎关系的研究新进展，为深入探究牙周炎发病机制提供新的思路。
Keywords: Heme-binding protein; HmuY; Periodontitis; Porphyromonas gingivalis; Virulence factors.
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