title: In vitro assessment of antimicrobial peptides as potential agents against several oral bacteria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antimicrobial peptides are components of the innate immunity that play an important role in systemic and oral health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The antibacterial activity of the amphibian-derived K4 -S4(1-15)a antimicrobial peptide was tested against oral pathogens associated with caries and periodontitis and compared with the activities of the human-derived antimicrobial peptides LL-37 and dhvar4a.
  
  
  METHODS
  Growth inhibition of planktonic bacteria was tested using standard microdilution assays. Live/Dead staining followed by confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) was used to determine the bactericidal effect of K4 -S4(1-15)a on Streptococcus mutans attached to a glass surface or grown as biofilm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cariogenic species S. mutans, Streptococcus sobrinus, Lactobacillus paracasei and Actinomyces viscosus were resistant to LL-37 found in the oral cavity. Porphyromonas gingivalis was the species most resistant to the three tested peptides. K4 -S4(1-15)a demonstrated the highest activity against the tested planktonic bacteria. In addition, K4 -S4(1-15)a was bactericidal to surface-attached S. mutans as well as to S. mutans biofilms grown in vitro. However, surface attachment increased S. mutans resistance to the antimicrobial peptide.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support growing evidence suggesting the use of antimicrobial peptides for prevention and treatment of oral disease.
authors: Institute of Dental Sciences, Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem, Israel.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Altman
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Steinberg
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Porat
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Mor
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Fridman
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Friedman
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Bachrach