Control of Oral Biofilm Formation by an Antimicrobial Decapeptide

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...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of dental research Vol. 84; no. 12; pp. 1172 - 1177
Main Authors: Leung, K.-P., Crowe, T.D., Abercrombie, J.J., Molina, C.M., Bradshaw, C.J., Jensen, C.L., Luo, Q., Thompson, G.A.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States SAGE Publications 01-12-2005
SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
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Summary: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.
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ISSN:0022-0345
1544-0591
DOI:10.1177/154405910508401215