Control of Oral Biofilm Formation by an Antimicrobial Decapeptide

Abstract

Oral biofilms are mixed-species microbial communities, and their uncontrolled outgrowth can express as oral diseases. Antimicrobial peptides represent alternative classes of antimicrobials that exhibit selectivity for prokaryotes. We wanted to test the effect of a synthetic decapeptide antimicrobial, KSL, on the development of oral biofilms formed by isolated human salivary bacteria. We used differential interference contrast microscopy, coupled with a dual-flow cell system, to determine the effect of KSL on oral biofilm development. We used reductions of viable counts and confocal microscopy to assess the bactericidal activity of KSL on mature oral biofilms. KSL effectively blocked biofilm development. A significant effect on the viability of mature biofilms was observed when KSL was used in the presence of a surface-active agent, or after biofilms were mechanically disrupted. This study shows that KSL may be a useful adjunct for conventional oral hygiene to prevent plaque-mediated dental diseases.

Efficacy of the De Novo-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide WLBU2 against Oral Bacteria

“…We hypothesize that the somewhat limited effect of the peptide on biofilm cells was due to inefficient penetration beyond the surface layer of bacteria in the mature biofilm. Consistent with our findings and this hypothesis, it has been demonstrated previously that mechanical disruption or adjunctive exposure to a surface-active agent can enhance peptide killing of biofilm cells (10). Therefore, future studies will evaluate the efficacy of WLBU2 in combined therapeutic strategies with a focus on the peptide's impact on F. nucleatum as a coaggregating bridge microorganism in multispecies biofilms.…”

Effect of the antimicrobial decapeptide KSL on the growth of oral pathogens and Streptococcus mutans biofilm

“…They form a chemical barrier to protect the host from bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens, help to control the growth of oral biofilms and may help to reduce the occurrence of dental caries and periodontal disease [12]. Previous studies have shown that KSL can effectively inhibit the growth of several bacterial strains [21,26]. In this study, we tested the antimicrobial activity of KSL against a panel of major oral pathogenic bacteria and fungi.…”

Stability of Antimicrobial Decapeptide (KSL) and Its Analogues for Delivery in the Oral Cavity

“…A novel decapeptide, Lys-Lys-Val-ValPhe-Lys-Val-Lys-Phe-Lys-NH 2 (KSL), is an antimicrobial peptide developed by using synthetic combinatorial library technology and shows a broad range of antibacterial activity (2). Recently, this antimicrobial peptide has been shown to effectively prevent the development of oral biofilm formed by isolated human salivary bacteria in vitro as well as inhibit the growth of oral bacterial pathogens associating with caries development and plaque formation (3,4).…”