We developed an experimental in vitro model of dental plaque to assess the potential efficacy of antiplaque agents. The model used a chemostat, which provided a continuous source of 5 species of oral bacteria grown in an artificial "saliva-like" medium. This mixture was pumped through six flow cells, each containing two types of surfaces on which plaque formed and was subsequently measured. Formation of bacterial plaque on hydroxyapatite surfaces was assessed by measurement of the DNA and protein content of the plaque film. The amount of bacterial plaque formed on germanium surfaces was measured by attenuated total reflectance (ATR/FT-IR) spectroscopy. Plaque viability was also assessed by a fluorescent staining technique. The quantity of plaque formed on both types of surfaces gradually increased with the duration of flow (from 24 to 72 h) through the cells during a 72-hour experimental period. The flow cells were then pulsed with experimental treatment solutions for 30 s, twice daily. Parallel to results of human clinical studies, the model was capable of discriminating among water, a placebo mouthrinse, and an active antimicrobial mouthrinse formulation containing 0.03% triclosan. It therefore offers a valuable alternative to animal model testing and allows for more rapid evaluations under well-controlled experimental conditions.

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Non-O157 Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STECs) have become a growing concern to the food industry. Grape seed extract (GSE), a byproduct of wine industry, is abundant in polyphenols that are known to be beneficial to health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of GSE on the growth, quorum sensing, and virulence factors of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "top-six" non-O157 STECs. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of GSE was 2mg/ml against E. coli O26:H11, and 4mg/ml against the other non-O157 STECs tested. Minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) was the same as MIC for all six non-O157 STECs tested. At 5×10(5)CFU/ml inoculation level, 4mg/ml GSE effectively inhibited the growth of all tested strains, while 0.25-2mg/ml GSE delayed bacterial growth. At a higher inoculation level (1×10(7)CFU/ml), GSE had less efficacy against the growth of the selected six non-O157 STECs. Its impact on bacterial virulence was then assessed at this inoculation level. Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) is a universal signal molecule mediating quorum sensing (QS). GSE at concentration as low as 0.5mg/ml dramatically reduced AI-2 production of all non-O157 STECs tested, with the inhibitory effect proportional to GSE levels. Consistent with diminished QS, GSE at concentration of 0.125mg/ml caused marked reduction of swimming motility of all motile non-O157 STECs tested. In agreement, GSE treatment reduced the production of flagella protein FliC and its regulator FliA in E. coli O103:H2 and E. coli O111:H2. Furthermore, 4mg/ml GSE inhibited the production of Shiga toxin, a major virulence factor, in E. coli O103:H2 and E. coli O111:H2. In summary, GSE inhibits the growth of "top-six" non-O157 STECs at the population level relevant to food contamination. At higher initial population, GSE suppresses QS with concomitant decrease in motility, flagella protein expression and Shiga toxin production. Thus, GSE has the potential to be used in food industry to control non-O157 STEC.

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