title: Possible lethal enhancement of toxins from putative periodontopathogens by nicotine: implications for periodontal disease.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Turner Dental School, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Sayers
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Drucker
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Blinkhorn
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D009538:Nicotine