title: Control of oral biofilm formation by an antimicrobial decapeptide.
abstract: Oral biofilms are mixed-species microbial communities, and their uncontrolled outgrowth can express as oral diseases. Antimicrobial peptides represent alternative classes of antimicrobials that exhibit selectivity for prokaryotes. We wanted to test the effect of a synthetic decapeptide antimicrobial, KSL, on the development of oral biofilms formed by isolated human salivary bacteria. We used differential interference contrast microscopy, coupled with a dual-flow cell system, to determine the effect of KSL on oral biofilm development. We used reductions of viable counts and confocal microscopy to assess the bactericidal activity of KSL on mature oral biofilms. KSL effectively blocked biofilm development. A significant effect on the viability of mature biofilms was observed when KSL was used in the presence of a surface-active agent, or after biofilms were mechanically disrupted. This study shows that KSL may be a useful adjunct for conventional oral hygiene to prevent plaque-mediated dental diseases.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Branch, US Army Dental and Trauma Research Detachment, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 310B, B Street, Building 1H, Great Lakes, IL 60088, USA. kai.leung@us.army.mil
authors.forename: K-P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Abercrombie
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bradshaw
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D047630:Depsipeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017886:Durapatite; D005857:Germanium; D006801:Humans; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008857:Microscopy, Interference; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology*; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D001548:Benzalkonium Compounds; D047630:Depsipeptides; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C119235:lysyl-lysyl-valyl-valyl-phenylalanyl-lysyl-valyl-lysyl-phenylalanyl-lysine; D005857:Germanium; D017886:Durapatite; D002710:Chlorhexidine