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In vitro Interactions between Streptococcus intermedius and Streptococcus salivarius K12 on a Titanium Cylindrical
Carla Vacca1, Maria Paola Contu1, Cecilia Rossi1,2
1Molecular Biology Service (MBS), Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 9, 2021
Summary
Probiotic Streptococcus salivarius K12 effectively countered early biofilm formation by Streptococcus intermedius on dental implant surfaces. This suggests a promising alternative to antibiotics for preventing peri-implantitis.
Area of Science:
- Oral microbiology
- Biomaterials science
- Infectious disease research
Background:
- Peri-implantitis, a growing concern, is driven by bacterial biofilms on implants, limiting antibiotic efficacy.
- Streptococcus intermedius is an early colonizer in dental implant biofilm formation.
- Probiotics offer a potential alternative strategy to combat oral pathogens and prevent biofilm development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model the interaction between the oral pathogen Streptococcus intermedius and the probiotic bacterium Streptococcus salivarius strain K12.
- To evaluate the efficacy of S. salivarius K12 in preventing S. intermedius biofilm formation on a titanium dental implant model.
Main Methods:
- Co-culturing S. intermedius with S. salivarius K12 in an in vitro model simulating dental implant biofilm formation using titanium cylinders.
- Assessing biofilm formation rates via Real-Time PCR quantification of bacterial counts.
- Analyzing luxS gene expression as an indicator of cell density and biofilm development.
Main Results:
- Biofilm formation, bacteriocin production, and luxS gene expression were observed within the initial 12 hours of co-culture.
- Streptococcus salivarius K12 demonstrated a significant ability to inhibit biofilm formation by Streptococcus intermedius on the titanium surface.
- The study successfully modeled probiotic-pathogen interactions in a simulated dental implant environment.
Conclusions:
- The in vitro dental implant model effectively demonstrated the anti-biofilm properties of Streptococcus salivarius K12 against Streptococcus intermedius.
- Probiotic intervention with S. salivarius K12 shows potential as a novel therapeutic strategy against peri-implantitis, offering an alternative to conventional antibiotic treatments.
