Journal of Dental Research, Vol 69, 1476-1479, Copyright © 1990 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals

ARTICLES

Inhibitory effect of human plasma and saliva on co-aggregation between Bacteroides gingivalis and Streptococcus mitis

H. Nagata, Y. Murakami, E. Inoshita, S. Shizukuishi and A. Tsunemitsu
Department of Preventive Dentistry, Osaka University Faculty of Dentistry, Japan.

The effect of human plasma and saliva on co-aggregation between Bacteroides gingivalis and Streptococcus mitis was studied by means of a turbidimetric assay. The co-aggregation activity was obtained from the maximum slope of the absorbance vs. time curve. Its dependence on pH, temperature, and ionic strength was examined, and the number of Bacteroides cells in relation to the number of Streptococcus cells resulting in optimal co-aggregation was established. Co-aggregation inhibition experiments showed that the co-aggregation activity was inhibited by l-arginine and l-lysine, although the activity was unaffected by the sugars tested. Human plasma and saliva were able to inhibit the co-aggregation in a dose-dependent reaction. Plasma exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity in these fluids. Fibrinogen was the most potent inhibitor of the plasma-derived proteins tested. These data suggest the possibility that the oral fluids may modulate the attachment of B. gingivalis to Gram-positive bacteria in periodontal pockets.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. Maeda, H. Nagata, M. Kuboniwa, K. Kataoka, N. Nishida, M. Tanaka, and S. Shizukuishi Characterization of Binding of Streptococcus oralis Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase to Porphyromonas gingivalis Major Fimbriae Infect. Immun., September 1, 2004; 72(9): 5475 - 5477. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Maeda, H. Nagata, Y. Yamamoto, M. Tanaka, J. Tanaka, N. Minamino, and S. Shizukuishi Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase of Streptococcus oralis Functions as a Coadhesin for Porphyromonas gingivalis Major Fimbriae Infect. Immun., March 1, 2004; 72(3): 1341 - 1348. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Kuboniwa, A. Amano, S. Shizukuishi, I. Nakagawa, and S. Hamada Specific Antibodies to Porphyromonas gingivalis Lys-Gingipain by DNA Vaccination Inhibit Bacterial Binding to Hemoglobin and Protect Mice from Infection Infect. Immun., May 1, 2001; 69(5): 2972 - 2979. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Kataoka, A. Amano, S. Kawabata, H. Nagata, S. Hamada, and S. Shizukuishi Secretion of Functional Salivary Peptide by Streptococcus gordonii Which Inhibits Fimbria-Mediated Adhesion of Porphyromonas gingivalis Infect. Immun., August 1, 1999; 67(8): 3780 - 3785. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. J. Lamont and H. F. Jenkinson Life Below the Gum Line: Pathogenic Mechanisms of Porphyromonas gingivalis Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev., December 1, 1998; 62(4): 1244 - 1263. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]