Proteolytic activity of black-pigmentedBacteroidesstrains

Isolation and characterization of a nonpigmented variant of Porphyromonas endodontalis

Porphyromonas endodontalis forms dark colonies on media containing blood. We isolated, from an infected root canal, a non-black-pigmented P. endodontalis variant, KSEW01, which forms beige colonies on blood agar media. To characterize this variant, we compared its properties with those of two black-pigmented P. endodontalis strains, ATCC35406 and KSE105. Strain KSEW01 had a gelatinase activity comparable to that of the pigmented strains. Cell lysates of these three strains resolved by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis showed similar protein patterns. Quantitative DNA-DNA hybridization experiments indicated high homology between the nonpigmented strain KSEW01 and the two dark-pigmented strains. From these results, we identified strain KSEW01 as a P. endodontalis nonpigmented variant. DNA restriction endonuclease analysis indicated that the variant was closely related to a pigmented strain, KSE105. In contrast to the pigmented strains, strain KSEW01 did not degrade hemoglobin and formed no vesicles when cultured in the presence of blood. The susceptibilities of these three strains to 22 antibiotics were similar except for vancomycin. The nonpigmented variant was the most resistant to vancomycin (MIC: ATCC35406, 6.25 micrograms/ml; KSE105,12.5 micrograms/ml; KSEW01, 100 micrograms/ml). Overall, a relationship may exist between the presence of black-pigmentation and outer membrane systems of P. endodontalis.

Cytotoxicity in bacterial cultures: interaction and cell-specificity, possible factors in periodontal disease

Cytotoxicity in culture media of various growing bacterial strains was estimated by Cr-51 release of labelled target-cells. Interaction studies were made by adding each of the different UV-killed bacteria to the medium with viable bacteria. The reference oral bacterial strains were: Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans Y4, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Streptococcus mitis, which were compared with the reference bacteria Staphylococcus aureus 209 and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The target cells were: gingival fibroblasts (GF), periodontal membrane fibroblasts (PMF), pulpal fibroblasts (PF), HeLa-cells (HeLa), and lymphoid neoplasm cells (LN). Synergistic, as well as antagonistic, effects on target cells were observed. The cytotoxicity of A. actinomycetemcomitans in presence of P. gingivalis is neutralized while in presence of S. aureus it was increased. Bacterial interactions with F. nucleatum and P. gingivalis cytotoxicity were observed. The cytotoxicity of F. nucleatum was increased when cultured together with A. actinomycetemcomitans. Each cell type reacted differently to the toxicity of the supernatant of growth medium in which the same bacterial strain had been cultivated, which indicates cell specificity of the toxins.

Protein, albumin and cystatin concentrations in saliva of healthy subjects and of patients with gingivitis or periodontitis

Salivary protein, albumin and cystatin concentrations were investigated in subjects with a healthy periodontium and in patients with gingivitis or periodontitis. Protein and albumin concentrations in saliva of individuals with gingivitis or periodontitis were significantly increased compared with healthy subjects. Salivary protein and albumin appeared to be positively correlated in all the groups, which suggests that the increase in salivary protein concentration in subjects with gingivitis or periodontitis is caused by leakage of plasma proteins. Cystatin concentrations in saliva of subjects with periodontitis were significantly increased when compared with the healthy group and the gingivitis group (p < 0.01). In the gingivitis and periodontitis group, salivary cystatin was only weakly correlated with albumin concentrations, which suggests that the increased salivary cystatin activity found in subjects with gingivitis and periodontitis is derived from sources other than plasma.

Factors in virulence expression and their role in periodontal disease pathogenesis

The classic progression of the development of periodontitis with its associated formation of an inflammatory lesion is characterized by a highly reproducible microbiological progression of a Gram-positive microbiota to a highly pathogenic Gram-negative one. While this Gram-negative microbiota is estimated to consist of at least 300 different microbial species, it appears to consist of a very limited number of microbial species that are involved in the destruction of periodontal diseases. Among these "putative periodontopathic species" are members of the genera Porphyromonas, Bacteroides, Fusobacterium, Wolinella, Actinobacillus, Capnocytophaga, and Eikenella. While members of the genera Actinomyces and Streptococcus may not be directly involved in the microbial progression, these species do appear to be essential to the construction of the network of microbial species that comprise both the subgingival plaque matrix. The temporal fluctuation (emergence/disappearance) of members of this microbiota from the developing lesion appears to depend upon the physical interaction of the periodontal pocket inhabitants, as well as the utilization of the metabolic end-products of the respective species intimately involved in the disease progression. A concerted action of the end-products of prokaryotic metabolism and the destruction of host tissues through the action of a large number of excreted proteolytic enzymes from several of these periodontopathogens contribute directly to the periodontal disease process.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)