Calcium-Phosphate-Osteopontin Particles Reduce Biofilm Formation and pH Drops in in situ Grown Dental Biofilms

Abstract

This 2-period crossover study investigated the effect of calcium-phosphate-osteopontin particles on biofilm formation and pH in 48-h biofilms grown in situ. Bovine milk osteopontin is a highly phosphorylated glycoprotein that has been shown to interfere with bacterial adhesion to salivary-coated surfaces. Calcium-phosphate-osteopontin particles have been shown to reduce biofilm formation and pH drops in a 5-species laboratory model of dental biofilm without affecting bacterial viability. Here, smooth surface biofilms from 10 individuals were treated ex vivo 6 times/day for 30 min with either calcium-phosphate-osteopontin particles or sterile saline. After growth, the amount of biofilm formed was determined by confocal microscopy, and pH drops upon exposure to glucose were monitored using confocal-microscopy-based pH ratiometry. A total of 160 biofilms were analysed. No adverse effects of repeated ex vivo treatment with calcium-phosphate-osteopontin particles were observed. Particle treatment resulted in a 32% lower amount of biofilm formed (p < 0.05), but large inter-individual differences could be observed. Biofilm pH was significantly higher upon particle treatment, both shortly after the addition of glucose and after 30 min of incubation with glucose (p < 0.05). Calcium-phosphate-osteopontin particles may represent a new therapeutic approach to caries control and aim at directly targeting virulence factors involved in the caries process. Further studies are required to determine the effect of particle treatment on more acidogenic/aciduric biofilms as well as the remineralizing potential of the particles.

Ecological Approaches to Dental Caries Prevention: Paradigm Shift or Shibboleth?

“…However, contemporary evolving evidence is increasingly highlighting the beneficial aspects of a healthy oral microbiome [Kilian et al, 2016]. Commensal plaque microflora have a symbiotic relationship with the host, not only acting as a barrier to opportunistic pathogens, but also carrying out metabolic processes that benefit the host [He et al, 2011;Schlafer et al, 2017]. Acute infections of the oral mucosa are rare because of the interplay between the host immune system and microbial symbionts [Zaura et al, 2014].…”

“…In addition to the strategies discussed above, several alternative approaches for modifying plaque biofilm ecology are under investigation including using compounds that specifically affect bacterial virulence proteins [Horst et al, 2012], calcium phosphate-osteopontin particles that can inhibit biofilm formation and reduce the fall in pH without affecting bacterial viability [Schlafer et al, 2017], nanoparticles [Allaker and Douglas, 2015], graphene oxide , and ceramic water [Nomura et al, 2017].…”

The efficacy of sarang semut extract (Myrmecodia pendens Merr & Perry) in inhibiting Porphyromonas gingivalis biofilm formation

“…20 Although this research evaluated only the formation of P. gingivalis biofilm as monospesies, a decrease in potential biofilm formation of P. gingivalis was assumed to be related to environmental changes (in wells), such as changes in the pH of the medium due to the introduction of test material that may have affected the metabolism of P. gingivalis biofilm mass. 21 Environmental factors, such as pH, temperature, cytokines, hormones, and oxidative stress have an effect on the formation of bacterial biofilms, including P. gingivalis, in the pathogenesis of periodontal infection. Specifically, changes in temperature could improve attachment, coaggregation, and production of protease.…”

Ecological approaches to dental caries prevention: Alteration of biofilms by natural products and casein-phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate

“…However, contemporary evolving evidence is increasingly highlighting the beneficial aspects of a healthy oral microbiome [Kilian et al, 2016]. Commensal plaque microflora have a symbiotic relationship with the host, not only acting as a barrier to opportunistic pathogens, but also carrying out metabolic processes that benefit the host [He et al, 2011;Schlafer et al, 2017].…”

“…In addition to the strategies discussed above, several other approaches for modifying plaque biofilm ecology are currently under investigation including using compounds that specifically affect bacterial virulence proteins [Horst et al, 2012], free radicals released from pH-responsive catalytic nanoparticles that can degrade the EPS matrix [Gao et al, 2016], calcium phosphate-osteopontin particles that can inhibit biofilm formation and reduce the fall in pH without affecting bacterial viability [Schlafer et al, 2017], graphene oxide and ceramic water [Nomura et al, 2017].…”