Probiotics alter biofilm formation and the transcription of Porphyromonas gingivalis virulence-associated genes

Karin Hitomi Ishikawa; Daniela Mita; Dione Kawamoto; Jacques Robert Nicoli; Emmanuel Albuquerque-Souza; Maria Regina Lorenzetti Simionato; Marcia Pinto Alves Mayer

doi:10.1080/20002297.2020.1805553

Probiotics alter biofilm formation and the transcription of Porphyromonas gingivalis virulence-associated genes

J Oral Microbiol. 2020 Aug 20;12(1):1805553. doi: 10.1080/20002297.2020.1805553.

Authors

Karin Hitomi Ishikawa¹, Daniela Mita¹, Dione Kawamoto¹, Jacques Robert Nicoli², Emmanuel Albuquerque-Souza^{1

3}, Maria Regina Lorenzetti Simionato¹, Marcia Pinto Alves Mayer^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
² Department of Microbiology, Biological Science Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
³ Division of Periodontics, Department of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Abstract

Background and objective: The potential of probiotics on the prevention and control of periodontitis and other chronic inflammatory conditions has been suggested. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species influence P. gingivalis interaction with gingival epithelial cells (GECs) but may not act in a unique way. In order to select the most appropriate probiotic against P. gingivalis, we aimed to evaluate the effect of several strains on Porphyromonas gingivalis biofilm formation and transcription virulence-associated factors (PgVAFs).

Methods: Cell-free pH neutralized supernatants (CFS) and living Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. were tested against P. gingivalis ATCC 33277 and W83, in mono- and multi-species (with Streptococcus oralis and S. gordonii) biofilms. Relative transcription of P. gingivalis genes (fimA, mfa1, kgp, rgp, ftsH and luxS) was determined in biofilms and under GECs co-infection.

Results: Probiotics CFS reduced P. gingivalis ATCC 33277 levels in mono-species biofilms and living probiotics reduced P. gingivalis abundance in multi-species biofilms. L. acidophilus LA5 down-regulated transcription of most PgVAFs in biofilms and GECs.

Conclusions: Probiotics affect P. gingivalis biofilm formation by down-regulating overall PgVAFs with the most pronounced effect observed for L. acidophilus LA5.

Keywords: Probiotics; biofilm; fimbriae; gene expression; gingipain; periodontitis.

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the FAPESP under [grant 2015/18273-9]. KHI, DK and EAS were supported by FAPESP scholarships [2016/13156-7, 2016/13159-6 and 2016/14687-6], respectively. DM undergraduate scholarship was supported by CNPq.