Synergistic inhibitory effect of cationic peptides and antimicrobial agents on the growth of oral streptococci.
Although chlorhexidine is one of the most efficacious antimicrobial agents used for the prevention of dental caries, side effects limit its application. The effects of gaegurin 6 (GGN6), an animal-derived cationic peptide, and its derivatives PTP6 and PTP12 on the growth of oral streptococci were investigated to assess the potential of these agents for use in the prevention of dental caries. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of the peptides for inhibition of the growth of oral streptococci (Streptococcus mutans , S. sobrinus, S. sanguis and S. gordonii) ranged from 1.2 to 8.2 muM. The peptides also exhibited marked synergistic antibacterial effects with chlorhexidine or xylitol. The most effective combinations (fractional inhibitory concentration index of 0.5) were xylitol with GGN6 against S. gordonii 10558 and chlorhexidine with either GGN6 or PTP6 against S. sobrinus OMZ-175. These results indicate that cationic peptides alone or in combination with chlorhexidine or xylitol might prove effective for the inhibition of the growth of cariogenic oral streptococci in situ.
Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul, South Korea.
Sukwon S
SS
Kim
Sunkyu
S
Kim
Eunshin
E
Kim
Byungkuk
B
Hyun
Kack-Kyun
KK
Kim
Byeong Jae
BJ
Lee
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects; D013298:Streptococcus sanguis / Q000187:drug effects; D016986:Streptococcus sobrinus / Q000187:drug effects; D014993:Xylitol / Q000494:pharmacology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D011498:Protein Precursors; C119329:gaegurin 6; D002710:Chlorhexidine; D014993:Xylitol