Possible lethal enhancement of toxins from putative periodontopathogens by nicotine: implications for periodontal disease.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that lethal synergy in the chick embryo model may occur between nicotine and bacterial products (cell-free extracellular toxins and cell lysates) of five putative periodontopathogens.


METHODS
The lethality of cell-free extracellular toxins and cell lysates of five periodontal species was assessed with or without nicotine in the chick embryo assay system. Ten putative periodontopathogens (five species) were studied: Prevotella intermedia (n = 5), Porphyromonas gingivalis (n = 1), Porphyromonas asaccharolytica (n = 1), Fusobacterium nucleatum (n = 2), and Fusobacterium necrophorum (n = 1).


RESULTS
Simultaneous testing of cell-free extracellular toxins from isolates W50, PS2, PS3, PS4, and PS5 and nicotine resulted in a percentage kill significantly greater than expected (Fisher's Exact test). Simultaneous testing of cell lysates from isolates W50, PS2, and PS5 and nicotine resulted in a percentage kill significantly greater than expected (Fisher's Exact test).


CONCLUSIONS
Lethal synergy in the chick embryo model may occur between nicotine and toxins from putative periodontopathogens (both cell-free extracellular toxins and cell lysates). This may be an important mechanism by which smoking increases the severity of periodontal disease.
Sayers
N M
NM
Turner Dental School, University of Manchester.
Gomes
B P
BP
Drucker
D B
DB
Blinkhorn
A S
AS
D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005675:Fusobacterium necrophorum; D016967:Fusobacterium nucleatum; D006358:Hot Temperature; D009538:Nicotine / Q000633:toxicity*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D017861:Porphyromonas; D018713:Prevotella intermedia
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D009538:Nicotine