Bacteria Residing at Root Canals Can Induce Cell Proliferation and Alter the Mechanical Properties of Gingival and Cancer Cells

Abstract

Understanding the importance of oral microbiota in human health and disease also leads to an expansion of the knowledge on functional, metabolic, and molecular alterations directly contributing to oral and systemic pathologies. To date, a compelling number of studies have documented the crucial role of some oral cavity-occurring microbes in the initiation and progression of cancers. Although this effect was noted primarily for Fusobacterium spp., the potential impact of other oral microbes is also worthy of investigation. In this study, we aimed to assess the effect of Enterococcus faecalis, Actinomyces odontolyticus, and Propionibacterium acnes on the proliferation capability and mechanical features of gingival cells and cell lines derived from lung, breast, and ovarian cancers. For this purpose, we incubated selected cell lines with heat-inactivated bacteria and supernatants collected from biofilms, cultured in both anaerobic and aerobic conditions, in the presence of surgically removed teeth and human saliva. The effect of oral bacteria on cell population growth is variable, with the highest growth-promoting abilities observed for E. faecalis in relation to human primary gingival fibroblasts (HGF) and lung cancer A549 cells, and P. acnes in relation to breast cancer MCF-7 and ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells. Notably, this effect seems to depend on a delicate balance between the pro-stimulatory and toxic effects of bacterial-derived products. Regardless of the diverse effect of bacterial products on cellular proliferation capability, we observed significant alterations in stiffness of gingival and lung cancer cells stimulated with E. faecalis bacteria and corresponding biofilm supernatants, suggesting a novel molecular mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of diseases in oral cavities and tooth tissues. Accordingly, it is proposed that analysis of cancerogenic features of oral cavity bacteria should be multivariable and should include investigation of potential alterations in cell mechanical properties. These findings corroborate the important role of oral hygiene and root canal treatment to assure the healthy stage of oral microbiota.

Nanomechanical Hallmarks of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Pediatric Patients

“…The mechanical changes were accompanied by the alterations in the internal structure of the actin cytoskeleton. Changes in the structure of cells and changes in the cell stiffness under the influence of pathogens were also observed in other studies [ 51 , 52 , 53 ]. The study [ 52 ] presents the results where human gastric neoplastic cells were treated with the tumor necrosis factor-inducing protein α (TNF-α) Tipα produced by H. pylori , which determines the protein as a carcinogen in the gastric epithelium.…”

Prostate Infiltration by Treg and Th17 Cells as an Immune Response to Propionibacterium acnes Infection in the Course of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Prostate Cancer

“…Suprewicz et al assessed the effect of P.acnes on the proliferation capability and mechanical features of gingival cells and cell lines derived from breast, lung, and ovarian cancer. It was observed that P. acnes had the highest growth-promoting abilities in relation to breast cancer MCF-7 and ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells [ 59 ]. These studies suggest that P. acnes may be crucial agent for the development of cancer diseases.…”

Ceragenin CSA-44 as a Means to Control the Formation of the Biofilm on the Surface of Tooth and Composite Fillings

“…Biofilms that are formed on dental fillings can destroy the structure of the filling components, which results in a rougher surface of the material [ 10 ], and rough surfaces are more susceptible to colonization [ 10 , 11 ]. Bacteria can penetrate between the filling components and the tooth structure [ 12 ], which may cause secondary caries [ 13 ] and pulp inflammation. During maturation of the biofilm, microbes are metabolically active, and they use endogenous components from saliva to form an extracellular matrix that helps with co-adhesion [ 14 ].…”