Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026
Concurrent Quantification of Cellular and Extracellular Components of Biofilms
Published on: December 10, 2013
Effect of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate on Streptococcus spp. biofilms
S D'Ercole1, M Di Giulio, R Grande
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy.
Aims:
The effect of different concentrations of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) was evaluated on biofilm formation and preformed biofilm of Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus oralis, alone or combined to each other.
Methods And Results:
Twofold serial dilution of HEMA ranged from 12 to 0·75 mmol l(-1) was added to Streptococcal broth cultures and mature biofilms in 96-well-microtitre plates to evaluate bacterial biomass and cell viability. HEMA affected the Streptococcal population in a strain-specific way producing few significant effects. A reduction on biofilm formation and a detachment of preformed biofilm was recorded in Strep. mitis ATCC 6249, whereas in mixed cultures, the monomer expressed a general aggregative effect on mature biofilms. A reduction in cell viability was also recorded in an HEMA-concentration-dependent way in each experimental condition studied.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that the HEMA prevalent effects are both the reduction of bacterial adhesion to a polystyrene surface and the increase in dead cells also characterized by an aggregative status.
Significance And Impact Of The Study:
Understanding the potential effect of HEMA, released from resin-based materials, on oral bacteria may furnish information for surveillance of the risk reduction in secondary caries via hindering biofilm generation.
