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Ladouceur L, Shakeri A, Khan S, Rincon AR, Kasapgil E, Weitz JI, Soleymani L, Didar TF. Producing Fluorine- and Lubricant-Free Flexible Pathogen- and Blood-Repellent Surfaces Using Polysiloxane-Based Hierarchical Structures. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:3864-3874. [PMID: 35040309 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c21672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
High-touch surfaces are known to be a major route for the spread of pathogens in healthcare and public settings. Antimicrobial coatings have, therefore, garnered significant attention to help mitigate the transmission of infectious diseases via the surface route. Among antimicrobial coatings, pathogen-repellent surfaces provide unique advantages in terms of safety in public settings such as instant repellency, affordability, biocompatibility, and long-term stability. While there have been many advances in the fabrication of biorepellent surfaces in the past two decades, this area of research continues to suffer challenges in scalability, cost, compatibility with high-touch applications, and performance for pathogen repellency. These features are critical for high-touch surfaces to be used in public settings. Additionally, the environmental impact of manufacturing repellent surfaces remains a challenge, mainly due to the use of fluorinated coatings. Here, we present a flexible hierarchical coating with straightforward and cost-effective manufacturing without the use of fluorine or a lubricant. Hierarchical surfaces were prepared through the growth of polysiloxane nanostructures using n-propyltrichlorosilane (n-PTCS) on activated polyolefin (PO), followed by heat shrinking to induce microscale wrinkles. The developed coatings demonstrated repellency, with contact angles over 153° and sliding angles <1°. In assays mimicking touch, these hierarchical surfaces demonstrated a 97.5% reduction in transmission of Escherichia coli (E.coli), demonstrating their potential as antimicrobial coatings to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases. Additionally, the developed surfaces displayed a 93% reduction in blood staining after incubation with human whole blood, confirming repellent properties that reduce bacterial deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liane Ladouceur
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8
| | - Amid Shakeri
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8
| | - Shadman Khan
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8
| | - Alejandra Rey Rincon
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8
- Department of Engineering Physics, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton L8S 4L7, Canada
| | - Esra Kasapgil
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, University of Bakircay, TR-35665 Menemen, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Jeffrey I Weitz
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8
- Department of Medicine, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8
- Thrombosis & Atherosclerosis Research Institute (TaARI), 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8L 2X2
| | - Leyla Soleymani
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8
- Department of Engineering Physics, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton L8S 4L7, Canada
| | - Tohid F Didar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8
- Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR), McMaster University, 1280 Main St W, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L8
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Effect of LongZhang Gargle on Dual-Species Biofilm of Candida albicans and Streptococcus mutans. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:6654793. [PMID: 33824875 PMCID: PMC8007335 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6654793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Bioactive natural products have become a hot spot for oral disease treatments. At the present study, LongZhang Gargle was investigated for its effects on single-species biofilms of Candida albicans and dual-species biofilms of Candida albicans and Streptococcus mutans. Two different models of single and dual-species biofilms were grown in YNBB medium under appropriate conditions. Biofilm biomass, biofilm architecture, and cell activity in biofilms were assessed using Crystal Violet Staining, MTT, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Significant reductions of biofilm biomass and fungus activity were obtained when treated with LongZhang Gargle at 2% (P < 0.05), 4% (P < 0.05), and 8% (P < 0.05) in single-species biofilms of C. albicans, and at 4% (P < 0.05) and 8% (P < 0.05) in double-species biofilms. Suppression of density, thickness, and the proportion of hyphae and fungal spores were obtained under SEM and CLSM. In conclusion, LongZhang Gargle affects single and dual-species biofilms by inhibiting biofilm biomass, cell activity, and formation of hyphae, but it does not affect the production of Extracellular polysaccharides (EPS). We speculate that LongZhang Gargle would be a promising natural drug, which can be used in treatment against C. albicans and S. mutans in oral diseases.
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A new role for host annexin A2 in establishing bacterial adhesion to vascular endothelial cells: lines of evidence from atomic force microscopy and an in vivo study. J Transl Med 2019; 99:1650-1660. [PMID: 31253864 PMCID: PMC6913097 DOI: 10.1038/s41374-019-0284-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding bacterial adhesion is challenging and critical to our understanding of the initial stages of the pathogenesis of endovascular bacterial infections. The vascular endothelial cell (EC) is the main target of Rickettsia, an obligately intracellular bacterium that causes serious systemic disease in humans and animals. But the mechanism(s) underlying bacterial adherence to ECs under shear stress from flowing blood prior to activation are unknown for any bacteria. Although host surface annexin a2 (ANXA2) has been identified to participate in efficient bacterial invasion of epithelial cells, direct evidence is lacking in the field of bacterial infections of ECs. In the present study, we employ a novel, anatomically based, in vivo quantitative bacterial-adhesion-to-vascular-EC system, combined with atomic force microscopy (AFM), to examine the role of endothelial luminal surface ANXA2 during rickettsial adherence to ECs. We also examined whether ANXA2 antibody affected binding of Staphylococcus aureus to ECs. We found that deletion of ANXA2 impeded rickettsial attachment to the ECs in vitro and blocked rickettsial adherence to the blood vessel luminal surface in vivo. The AFM studies established that EC surface ANXA2 acts as an adherence receptor for rickettsiae, and that rickettsial adhesin OmpB is the associated bacterial ligand. Furthermore, pretreatment of ECs with anti-ANXA2 antibody reduced EC surface-associated S. aureus. We conclude that the endothelial surface ANXA2 plays an important role in initiating pathogen-host interactions, ultimately leading to bacterial anchoring on the vascular luminal surface.
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Kondo Y, Hoshino T, Ogawa M, Hidaka K, Hasuwa T, Moriuchi H, Fujiwara T. Streptococcus mutans isolated from a 4-year-old girl diagnosed with infective endocarditis. Clin Exp Dent Res 2019; 5:534-540. [PMID: 31687188 PMCID: PMC6820803 DOI: 10.1002/cre2.220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Infective endocarditis (IE) has an extremely high fatality rate. In this study, we isolated a strain of Streptococcus mutans, which we called HM, from the blood drawn from a 4-year-old girl diagnosed with IE. We aimed to fully type the HM strain and investigate its biological properties, including its virulence with respect to IE. Material and methods A 16S rRNA phylogenetic tree and glucosyltransferase gene sequences were used to type HM. Serotyping was performed using the Ouchterlony method. Morphological observations were made using phase contrast and electron microscopy. Fibrinogen adhesion and biofilm formation were investigated to examine the tissue colonization properties of HM, whereas its bodily origin was determined from its fingerprinting pattern. Results The isolated strain was S. mutans serotype e. However, its morphology was observed to be short chains, unlike that of the NCTC 10449 reference strain. Fibrinogen adhesion and biofilm formation were more apparent than in NCTC 10449. The fingerprinting pattern showed that HM came from the patient's saliva. Conclusions HM differs from NCTC 10449 in its higher fibrinogen affinity. HM was also found to be derived from the oral cavity. These results highlight the importance of good oral hygiene for the prevention of IE in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshio Kondo
- Department of Paediatric DentistryNagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesNagasakiJapan
| | - Tomonori Hoshino
- Department of Paediatric DentistryNagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesNagasakiJapan
- Department of Paediatric DentistryMeikai University School of DentistrySaitamaJapan
| | - Midori Ogawa
- Department of Microbiology, School of MedicineUniversity of Occupational and Environmental Health JapanKitakyushuJapan
| | - Kiyoshi Hidaka
- Department of Paediatric DentistryNagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesNagasakiJapan
| | - Tomoyuki Hasuwa
- Department of PaediatricsNagasaki University Graduate School of Biochemical SciencesNagasakiJapan
| | - Hiroyuki Moriuchi
- Department of PaediatricsNagasaki University Graduate School of Biochemical SciencesNagasakiJapan
| | - Taku Fujiwara
- Department of Paediatric DentistryNagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical SciencesNagasakiJapan
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Nilsson M, Givskov M, Twetman S, Tolker-Nielsen T. Inactivation of the pgmA Gene in Streptococcus mutans Significantly Decreases Biofilm-Associated Antimicrobial Tolerance. Microorganisms 2019; 7:microorganisms7090310. [PMID: 31484288 PMCID: PMC6780209 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7090310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Screening of a Streptococcus mutans mutant library indicated that pgmA mutants displayed a reduced biofilm-associated tolerance toward gentamicin. The biofilms formed by the S. mutanspgmA mutant also displayed decreased tolerance towards linezolid and vancomycin compared to wild-type biofilms. On the contrary, the resistance of planktonic S. mutanspgmA cells to gentamycin, linezolid, and vancomycin was more similar to wild-type levels. Investigations of biofilms grown in microtiter trays and on submerged glass slides showed that pgmA mutants formed roughly the same amount of biofilm as the wild type, indicating that the reduced antimicrobial tolerance of these mutants is not due to diminished biofilm formation. The pgmA gene product is known to be involved in the synthesis of precursors for cell wall components such as teichoic acids and membrane glycolipids. Accordingly, the S. mutanspgmA mutant showed increased sensitivity to Congo Red, indicating that it has impaired cell wall integrity. A changed cell wall composition of the S. mutanspgmA mutant may play a role in the increased sensitivity of S. mutanspgmA biofilms toward antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Nilsson
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Givskov
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551, Singapore
| | - Svante Twetman
- Department of Odontology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tim Tolker-Nielsen
- Costerton Biofilm Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Rizzato C, Torres J, Kasamatsu E, Camorlinga-Ponce M, Bravo MM, Canzian F, Kato I. Potential Role of Biofilm Formation in the Development of Digestive Tract Cancer With Special Reference to Helicobacter pylori Infection. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:846. [PMID: 31110496 PMCID: PMC6501431 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria are highly social organisms that communicate via signaling molecules and can assume a multicellular lifestyle to build biofilm communities. Until recently, complications from biofilm-associated infection have been primarily ascribed to increased bacterial resistance to antibiotics and host immune evasion, leading to persistent infection. In this theory and hypothesis article we present a relatively new argument that biofilm formation has potential etiological role in the development of digestive tract cancer. First, we summarize recent new findings suggesting the potential link between bacterial biofilm and various types of cancer to build the foundation of our hypothesis. To date, evidence has been particularly convincing for colorectal cancer and its precursor, i.e., polyps, pointing to several key individual bacterial species, such as Bacteroides fragilis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. Gallolyticus. Then, we further extend this hypothesis to one of the most common bacterial infection in humans, Helicobacter pylori (Hp), which is considered a major cause of gastric cancer. Thus far, there has been no direct evidence linking in vivo Hp gastric biofilm formation to gastric carcinogenesis. Yet, we synthesize the information to support an argument that biofilm associated-Hp is potentially more carcinogenic, summarizing biological characteristics of biofilm-associated bacteria. We also discuss mechanistic pathways as to how Hp or other biofilm-associated bacteria control biofilm formation and highlight recent findings on Hp genes that influence biofilm formation, which may lead to strain variability in biofilm formation. This knowledge may open a possibility of developing targeted intervention. We conclude, however, that this field is still in its infancy. To test the hypothesis rigorously and to link it ultimately to gastric pathologies (e.g., premalignant lesions and cancer), studies are needed to learn more about Hp biofilms, such as compositions and biological properties of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), presence of non-Hp microbiome and geographical distribution of biofilms in relation to gastric gland types and structures. Identification of specific Hp strains with enhanced biofilm formation would be helpful not only for screening patients at high risk for sequelae from Hp infection, but also for development of new antibiotics to avoid resistance, regardless of its association with gastric cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosmeri Rizzato
- Department of Translation Research and of New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Javier Torres
- Unidad de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Unidades Médicas de Alta Especialidad Pediatría, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Elena Kasamatsu
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, National University of Asunción, Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Margarita Camorlinga-Ponce
- Unidad de Investigación en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Unidades Médicas de Alta Especialidad Pediatría, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Maria Mercedes Bravo
- Grupo de Investigación en Biología del Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Federico Canzian
- Genomic Epidemiology Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ikuko Kato
- Department of Oncology and Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
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7
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Nilsson M, Jakobsen TH, Givskov M, Twetman S, Tolker-Nielsen T. Oxidative stress response plays a role in antibiotic tolerance of Streptococcus mutans biofilms. MICROBIOLOGY-SGM 2019; 165:334-342. [PMID: 30663959 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Knowledge about biofilm-associated antibiotic tolerance mechanisms is warranted in order to develop effective treatments against biofilm infections. We performed a screen of a Streptococcus mutans transposon mutant library for mutants with reduced biofilm-associated antimicrobial tolerance, and found that the spxA1 gene plays a role in tolerance towards gentamicin and other antibiotics such as vancomycin and linezolid. SpxA1 is a regulator of genes involved in the oxidative stress response in S. mutans. The oxidative stress response genes gor and ahpC were found to be up-regulated upon antibiotic treatment of S. mutans wild-type biofilms, but not spxA1 mutant biofilms. The gor gene product catalyses the formation of glutathione which functions as an important antioxidant during oxidative stress, and accordingly biofilm-associated antibiotic tolerance of the spxA1 mutant could be restored by exogenous addition of glutathione. Our results indicate that the oxidative stress response plays a role in biofilm-associated antibiotic tolerance of S. mutans, and add to the on-going debate on the role of reactive oxygen species in antibiotic mediated killing of bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Nilsson
- 1Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tim Holm Jakobsen
- 1Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Givskov
- 1Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 2Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Svante Twetman
- 3Department of Odontology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tim Tolker-Nielsen
- 1Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Costerton Biofilm Center, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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8
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Martins M, Porrini C, du Merle L, Danne C, Robbe-Masselot C, Trieu-Cuot P, Dramsi S. The Pil3 pilus of Streptococcus gallolyticus binds to intestinal mucins and to fibrinogen. Gut Microbes 2016; 7:526-532. [PMID: 27656949 PMCID: PMC5153612 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2016.1239677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus gallolyticus is a commensal bacterium responsible for infectious endocarditis in the elderly, which has frequently been associated with colonic carcinoma. Whether this species is a cause or a consequence of colorectal cancer remains unknown. We recently demonstrated that S. gallolyticus Pil3 pilus is required for adhesion to colonic mucus and for colonization of mouse distal colon. We show here that Pil3 pilus binds equally well to human colonic mucins derived from HT29-MTX cells and to human stomach mucins from healthy donors. In addition, we have found that Pil3 also binds to human fibrinogen, which expands the repertoire of Pil3 host ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Martins
- Department of Microbiology, Biology of
Gram-positive Pathogens Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris,
France,Department of Microbiology, Center National de
la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) ERL3526, Paris,
France
| | - Constance Porrini
- Department of Microbiology, Biology of
Gram-positive Pathogens Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris,
France,Department of Microbiology, Center National de
la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) ERL3526, Paris,
France
| | - Laurence du Merle
- Department of Microbiology, Biology of
Gram-positive Pathogens Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris,
France,Department of Microbiology, Center National de
la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) ERL3526, Paris,
France
| | - Camille Danne
- Department of Microbiology, Biology of
Gram-positive Pathogens Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris,
France,Department of Microbiology, Center National de
la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) ERL3526, Paris,
France
| | | | - Patrick Trieu-Cuot
- Department of Microbiology, Biology of
Gram-positive Pathogens Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris,
France,Department of Microbiology, Center National de
la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) ERL3526, Paris,
France
| | - Shaynoor Dramsi
- Department of Microbiology, Biology of
Gram-positive Pathogens Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris,
France,Department of Microbiology, Center National de
la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) ERL3526, Paris,
France,CONTACT Shaynoor Dramsi 28 rue du Dr Roux 75724 Paris Cedex 15France
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Effect of LongZhang Gargle on Biofilm Formation and Acidogenicity of Streptococcus mutans In Vitro. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:5829823. [PMID: 27314029 PMCID: PMC4897666 DOI: 10.1155/2016/5829823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Revised: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Streptococcus mutans, with the ability of high-rate acid production and strong biofilm formation, is considered the predominant bacterial species in the pathogenesis of human dental caries. Natural products which may be bioactive against S. mutans have become a hot spot to researches to control dental caries. LongZhang Gargle, completely made from Chinese herbs, was investigated for its effects on acid production and biofilm formation by S. mutans in this study. The results showed an antimicrobial activity of LongZhang Gargle against S. mutans planktonic growth at the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 16% and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 32%. Acid production was significantly inhibited at sub-MIC concentrations. Biofilm formation was also significantly disrupted, and 8% was the minimum concentration that resulted in at least 50% inhibition of biofilm formation (MBIC50). A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed an effective disruption of LongZhang Gargle on S. mutans biofilm integrity. In addition, a confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) suggested that the extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) synthesis could be inhibited by LongZhang Gargle at a relatively low concentration. These findings suggest that LongZhang Gargle may be a promising natural anticariogenic agent in that it suppresses planktonic growth, acid production, and biofilm formation against S. mutans.
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