The human body is filled with friendly bacteria. However, some of these microorganisms, such as Veillonella parvula, probably too nice.
These peaceful bacteria engage in a unilateral relationship with a pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis, helping the organism multiply and causing gum disease, according to a new study at Buffalo University.
The research was to understand how P. gingivalis settlement of the mouth. The pathogen cannot produce its own growth molecules until it reaches a large population in the oral microbiome (the community of microorganisms that live on and inside the body).
The answer: It borrows growth molecules from V. parvula, common but harmless bacteria in the mouth whose growth is not dependent on the population.
In a healthy mouth, P. gingivalis make up a small amount of the bacteria in the oral microbiome and cannot reproduce. However, if a dental plaque is allowed to grow without examination due to poor oral hygiene, V. parvula they multiply and eventually produce enough growth molecules to reproduce P. gingivalis.
More than 47% of adults 30 and older have some form of periodontitis (also known as gum disease), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Understanding the connection between P. gingivalis and V. parvula researchers will help target treatments for periodontitis, says Patricia Diaz, DDS, Ph.D., lead researcher on the study and Professor of Empire Innovation at UB School of Dental Medicine.
“After working with P. gingivalis for nearly two decades, we knew it needed to grow a large population size, but the specific processes that drive this phenomenon have not been fully understood, “said Diaz, also director of the UB Microbiome Center. successfully targeting the pathogen of the accessory. V. parvula P. gingivalis should be prevented from expanding within the oral microbial community to pathogenic levels. “
The study, published on December 28 in the Iris ISME, tested the effect of growth molecules grown with microorganisms in the mouth on it P. gingivalis, including molecules from five species of bacteria common in gingivitis, a condition preceded by periodontitis.
Of the bacteria studied, only growth molecules are secreted V. parvula enabled P. gingivalis to reproduce, regardless of the pressure on each microbe. When V. parvula remove from the midge, grow P. gingivalis stad. However, only none are present V. parvula it was not enough to motivate him P. gingivalis, because the pathogen was only induced by a large population of V. parvula.
Data suggest that the one-way relationship is as V. parvula it has not benefited clearly from the division of its growth molecules, Diaz said.
“P. gingivalis and V. parvula interact at many levels, but the winner is P. gingivalis, “said Diaz, noting that V. parvula also makes heme, their favorite source of iron P. gingivalis.
“This relationship allows for growth P. gingivalis it was confirmed not only in a preclinical model of periodontitis but also, its presence V. parvula, P. gingivalis this could increase periodontal bone loss, which is a hallmark of the disease, “said George Hajishengallis, DDS, Ph.D., co-researcher on the study and Thomas W. Evans Centennial Professor at the School of Dental Medicine University of Pennsylvania.
It is not clear whether the symptoms that promote growth are caused by P. gingivalis and V. parvula they are chemically equivalent. Much more work is needed to find the identity of these molecules. “
Patricia Diaz, DDS, PhD, Principal Investigator and Professor of Empire Innovation, University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine
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Magazine Reference:
Hoare, A., et al. (2020) Transgenic interaction with symbiotic symmetry enables growth dependent on cell density and in vivo viability of an oral pathogen. The ISME Journal. doi.org/10.1038/s41396-020-00865-y.