An Innovative Oral Ex Vivo Biofilm Model for Antimicrobial Investigations

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Oral Biology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Oral biofilms are complex microbial communities implicated in periodontal diseases.
• Developing reliable ex vivo models is crucial for studying biofilm formation and testing antimicrobial agents.
• Existing models may not fully replicate the in vivo oral environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a stable oral ex vivo biofilm model using human saliva and plaque.
• To characterize the development of ex vivo biofilms over time.
• To evaluate the inhibitory potential of blackcurrant fruit extracts and chlorhexidine on ex vivo biofilms.

Main Methods:

• Preconditioning cover slips with saliva supernatants and inoculating with crevicular plaque.
• Cultivating biofilms anaerobically for up to 72 hours.
• Characterizing biofilm formation using confocal laser scanning microscopy (cLSM).
• Assessing the inhibitory effects of blackcurrant extracts (AFJ, AFBS) and chlorhexidine (CHX) on biofilms at different ages.

Main Results:

• Ex vivo biofilms developed from scattered colonies at 1h to a dense, three-dimensional structure at 72h.
• All-fruit juice (AFJ) and chlorhexidine (CHX) demonstrated significant inhibition of biofilm growth.
• Early-stage biofilms (1h, 4h) were more susceptible to the inhibitory effects of AFJ and CHX compared to 24h biofilms.
• Alcoholic fraction from berry skins (AFBS) showed less inhibitory effect compared to AFJ and CHX.

Conclusions:

• A reproducible ex vivo oral biofilm model was successfully established.
• The model effectively demonstrates the antimicrobial properties of agents like blackcurrant extracts and chlorhexidine.
• This model serves as a valuable tool for screening and validating plaque-controlling agents.