Beneficial modulation of human health in the oral cavity and beyond using bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance-producing streptococcal probiotics

Abstract

The human oral cavity contains a diversity of microbial habitats that have been adopted and adapted to as homeland by an amazingly heterogeneous population of microorganisms collectively referred to as the oral microbiota. These microbes generally co-habit in harmonious homeostasis. However, under conditions of imposed stress, as with changes to the host’s physiology or nutritional status, or as a response to foreign microbial or antimicrobial incursions, some components of the oral “microbiome” (viz. the in situ microbiota) may enter a dysbiotic state. This microbiome dysbiosis can manifest in a variety of guises including streptococcal sore throats, dental caries, oral thrush, halitosis and periodontal disease. Most of the strategies currently available for the management or treatment of microbial diseases of the oral cavity focus on the repetitive “broad sweep” and short-term culling of oral microbe populations, hopefully including the perceived principal pathogens. Both physical and chemical techniques are used. However, the application of more focused approaches to the harnessing or elimination of key oral cavity pathogens is now feasible through the use of probiotic strains that are naturally adapted for oral cavity colonization and also are equipped to produce anti-competitor molecules such as the bacteriocins and bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances (viz BLIS). Some of these probiotics are capable of suppressing the proliferation of a variety of recognized microbial pathogens of the human mouth, thereby assisting with the restoration of oral microbiome homeostasis. BLIS K12 and BLIS M18, the progenitors of the BLIS-producing oral probiotics, are members of the human oral cavity commensal species Streptococcus salivarius. More recently however, a number of other streptococcal and some non-streptococcal candidate oral probiotics have also been promoted. What is becoming increasingly apparent is that the future for oral probiotic applications will probably extend well beyond the attempted limitation of the direct pathological consequences of oral microbiome dysbiosis to also encompass a plethora of systemic diseases and disorders of the human host. The background to and the evolving prospects for the beneficial modulation of the oral microbiome via the application of BLIS-producing S. salivarius probiotics comprises the principal focus of the present review.

CS/PVP Hydrogel-Based Nanocapillary for Monitoring Bacterial Growth and Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing

“…Since bacterial growth is associated with bacterial overgrowth and the imbalance of bacterial colonies, its monitoring could help in reducing bacterial infections and provide valuable insights into the development and occurrence of diseases. − In the following, a CS/PVP hydrogel-based nanocapillary was utilized to measure pH changes during the growth of acid-producing bacteria, including E. coli and S.…”

Antimicrobial effect of probiotic bacteriocins on Streptococcus mutans biofilm in a dynamic oral flow chamber model – an in vitro study

“…S. salivarius , in particular strains S. salivarius K12 and S. salivarius M18, are of interest as they offer numerous potential benefits for the host such as prevention and treatment of pharyngitis, caries and halitosis [ 4 , 22–24 ]. However, to date, the effect of S. salivarius isolates S. salivarius K12 and S. salivarius M18 on dental plaque formation reported in controlled clinical trials remains controversial [ 4 , 25 ].…”

Advances in biomaterials for oral-maxillofacial bone regeneration: spotlight on periodontal and alveolar bone strategies

“…For example, lactobacilli have been found to disrupt A.actinomycetemcomitans colonization of the oral cavity by reducing its ability to interact with gingival epithelial cells and modulating cellular response [ 205 ]. Additionally, certain probiotic strains, such as BLIS K12 and BLIS M18, possess the natural ability to colonize the oral cavity and produce bacteriocins and bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances that suppress harmful pathogens [ 206 ]. Furthermore, Akkermansia muciniphila , a critical probiotic isolated from the human intestine, has been shown to specifically inhibit the effects of Fusobacterium nucleatum and alleviate periodontitis [ 207 ].…”