This study was carried out to examine the release kinetics of chlorhexidine from a sustained rele... more This study was carried out to examine the release kinetics of chlorhexidine from a sustained release device (S. R. D.) prepared from ethyl cellulose (fast S. R. D.) or ethyl cellulose with polyethylene glycol (slow S. R. D.) and to examine the effects on the bacterial flora of pockets in patients with periodontal disease.It was shown that fast S. R. D.'s release up to 80% of the chlorhexidine within the first 3 days in insertion in periodontal pockets, whereas the slow S. R. D.'s release 50% of the chlorhexidine content after 6 days. The release kinetics of chlorhexidine from S. R. D.'s placed in pockets as expressed by the Higuchi system (Higuchi 1963) indicate that it is diffusion controlled. The rate of chlorhexidine release is dependent on the structure of S. R. D., the drag concentration within the device, and the effective surface area.The microbial flora of sixteen pockets from 6 patients were examined using darkfield microscopy at day 0, 3, 10, and 14 after treatment with S. R. D.'s containing, chlorhexidine or placebo S. R. D.'s. The pocket depths ranged from 5–8 mm. The chlorhexidine‐treated group showed a marked decrease in the relative proportions of motile rods and spirochetes and a corresponding increase in non‐motile organisms compared to the flora prior to chlorhexidine treatment or compared to the flora of the placebo treated pockets. These differences were significant up to 10 days post treatment (P < 0.0025).The study indicated the effectiveness of ethyl cellulose polymers as S. R. D.'s in vivo and their ability to reduce the relative proportions of the motile organisms of periodontal pockets to negligible amounts.
Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serotype b lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was found to be able to ... more Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serotype b lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was found to be able to bind Fusobacterium nucleatum cells and to inhibit binding of F. nucleatum to A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b. Sugar binding studies showed that the requirements for binding of A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b LPS to the F. nucleatum lectin are the presence of a metal divalent ion, an axial free hydroxyl group at position 4, and free equatorial hydroxyl groups at positions 3 and 6 of D-galactose, indicating that the -N-acetyl-Dgalactosamine in the serotype b LPS trisaccharide repeating unit is the monosaccharide residue recognized by the F. nucleatum lectin. These data strongly suggest that A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b LPS is one of the receptors responsible for the lactose-inhibitable coaggregation of A. actinomycetemcomitans to fusobacteria.
A Porphyromonas endodontalis ATCC 35406 protease was purified from Triton X-114 cell extracts by ... more A Porphyromonas endodontalis ATCC 35406 protease was purified from Triton X-114 cell extracts by preparative SDS-PAGE followed by electroelution. The purified enzyme exhibits a molecular size of 88 kDa and was dissociated into two polypeptides of 43 and 41 kDa upon heating in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate with or without a reducing agent. The protease (pH optimum 7.5-8.0) degraded the extracellular matrix proteins fibrinogen and fibronectin. Collagen IV was also degraded at 37 degrees C but not at 28 degrees C. The protease also cleaved the bioactive peptide angiotensin at amino acid residue phenylalanine-8 and tyrosine-4 but failed to hydrolyze bradykinin, vasopressin and synthetic chromogenic substrates with phenylalanine or tyrosine at the P1 position. In addition, two peptidases were detected in P. endodontalis cells: a proline aminopeptidase that remained associated with the cell pellet after detergent extraction and peptidase/s that partitioned into the Triton X-114 phase after phase separation and degraded the bioactive peptides bradykinin and vasopressin. These P. endodontalis peptidases and proteases may play an important role in both the nutrition and pathogenicity of these assacharolytic microorganisms. The inactivation of bioactive peptides and degradation of extracellular matrix proteins by bacterial enzymes may contribute to the damage of host tissues accompanied with endodontic infections.
Previous reports have shown that coaggregation between Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium... more Previous reports have shown that coaggregation between Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, two important periodontopathogens, is mediated by a galactoside on the surface of P. gingivalis and a lectin on F. nucleatum. In the present study, purified capsular polysaccharide (CPS) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of P. gingivalis PK 1924 (serotype K5) were found to be able to bind to F. nucleatum cells and to inhibit binding of F. nucleatum to P. gingivalis serotype K5. Sugar binding studies showed that the requirements for binding of P. gingivalis serotype K5 CPS and LPS to the F. nucleatum lectin are: the presence of a metal divalent ion, an axial free hydroxyl group at position 4 and free equatorial hydroxyl groups at position 3 and 6 of D-galactose. These data suggest that P. gingivalis serotype K5-CPS and LPS act as receptors mediating coaggregation between P. gingivalis and fusobacteria.
Electron microscopical observations of the oral periodontopathogen Treponema denticola show the p... more Electron microscopical observations of the oral periodontopathogen Treponema denticola show the presence of extracellular vesicles bound to the bacterial surface or free in the surrounding medium. Extracellular vesicles from T. denticola ATCC 35404, 50 to 100 nm in diameter, were isolated and further characterized. Protein and proteolytic patterns of the vesicles were found to be very similar to those of isolated T. denticola outer sheaths. They were enriched with the major outer sheath polypeptides (molecular sizes, 113 to 234 kDa) and with outer sheath proteases of 91, 153, 173, and 228 kDa. These findings indicate that treponemal outer sheath vesicles contain the necessary adhesins and proteolytic arsenal for adherence to and damage of eucaryotic cells and mammalian matrix proteins. The major outer sheath-and vesicle-associated protease of T. denticola ATCC 35404 was purified and characterized. The purified enzyme had a molecular size of 91 kDa, and it dissociated into three polypeptides of 72, 38, and 35 kDa upon heating in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate with or without a reducing agent. The activity of the enzyme could be inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, and phenylboronic acid. The value of the second-order rate constant of the protease inactivation by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride was 0.48 ؋ 10 4 M ؊1 min ؊1. Inhibition of the enzyme by phenylboronic acid was rapid (<1 min) and pH dependent. These data strongly suggest that this major surface proteolytic activity belongs to a family of serine proteases.
Pathogenic bacteria constitute the primary extrinsic agent in the etiology of early onset Periodo... more Pathogenic bacteria constitute the primary extrinsic agent in the etiology of early onset Periodontitis. However, the risk of developing periodontal disease is not equal for all individuals, suggesting host factors are involved in determining an individual's disease susceptibility. In this report, a case of an otherwise healthy female, who exhibited prepubertal Periodontitis (PPP) at age 10, juvenile Periodontitis (JP) at age 13, and rapidly progressive Periodontitis (RPP) at age 29 years, is presented. Microbial, immunological, and genetic features of the case are presented. PPP, JP, and RPP are considered distinct disease entities, albeit with similar pathology and pathogenesis, yet all were manifest sequentially in the same individual. This report presents the idea that certain individuals are predisposed to early-onset periodontal diseases and the early identification of risk factors is important in the management of these individuals.
The present study compares periodontal parameters, caries, and levels of colony forming units (CF... more The present study compares periodontal parameters, caries, and levels of colony forming units (CFU) of bacteria from subgingival plaque of permanent teeth, to those of primary teeth examined 4 years previously. Six children who had periodontitis and 5 who had no periodontitis in primary teeth (groups A and B respectively) were examined. The microbial examination included the number of CFU of the total anaerobic count, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis. The differences in CFU values for the permanent teeth between groups A and B were not significant. Group A had significantly higher gingival inflammation values in the permanent teeth than group B. Permanent teeth had significantly higher CFU values of P. gingivalis than the primary teeth. Based on the present limited sample, the number of CFU from bacteria of the subgingival plaque of primary teeth are not an adequate predictor of periodontal disease or caries in the permanent teeth.
Several fibrinolytic activities of Treponema denticola, an oral spirochete associated with gingiv... more Several fibrinolytic activities of Treponema denticola, an oral spirochete associated with gingivitis and periodontal disease, were identified and characterized following phase partitioning with the nonionic detergent Triton X-114. The apparent molecular masses of the proteases ranged from 91 to 228 kDa when analyzed in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels containing fibrinogen as the protease substrate. A qualitative analysis of zymograms showed that the proteases were highly enriched in the detergent phase, although the 91-, 173-, and 228-kDa proteases were also found in the aqueous phase. Zymograms of crude outer sheaths prepared by repeated freezing-thawing revealed that the proteases may be associated with this subcellular compartment. The proteases displayed substrate specificity towards fibrinogen, were susceptible to sulfhydryl group reagents, and had a pH optimum between 7 and 8. The similarities in their sensitivity to inhibitors, temperature stability, pH optimum, and laddered protein profiles suggest that these hydrolytic enzymes may
In vivo adsorption of salivary albumin and α-amylase onto titanium, enamel and dentin was analyse... more In vivo adsorption of salivary albumin and α-amylase onto titanium, enamel and dentin was analysed following their exposure to the oral cavity for 2 h. Oral appliances in six adults served as a platform for carrying 4-mm discs of the three materials. Adherent proteins were eluted from the discs and the amounts of salivary albumin and α-amylase were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. While no significant difference between the adsorption of albumin and α-amylase onto enamel as compared with dentin was observed, adsorption onto titanium was significantly lower. A sample of whole saliva was also collected from each participant. The mean total amounts of albumin and α-amylase in the participants' whole saliva were 0.03 and 0.54 mg ml−1, respectively. Titanium adsorbed significantly less (4.43%) of the total albumin than did enamel (14.30%) or dentin (18.80%). No significant difference was found in the relative amounts of α-amylase adsorbed by the three materials. This significantly selective adsorption of proteins may enable the attachment of specific bacteria and thus alter the composition of the dental plaque and its potential pathogenicity.
The predominant subgingival microflora, host immune response, and genetic history of a 14-year-ol... more The predominant subgingival microflora, host immune response, and genetic history of a 14-year-old girl with Papillon-Lefèvre Syndrome (PLS) are reported. The patient had high counts of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and surface translocating bacteria. She had significantly raised levels of antibodies to five of the bacterial species studied with the levels to A. actinomycetemcomitans remaining high after antibiotic therapy. The polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) also released significantly increased amounts of O2 compared to controls. The data presented support a role for A. actinomycetemcomitans and PMN dysfunction in the pathogenesis of PLS.
The present study describes the prevalence of alveolar bone loss (ABL) in children in relation to... more The present study describes the prevalence of alveolar bone loss (ABL) in children in relation to caries, contact and space loss. In addition, the microbial composition of the subgingival plaque of 20 sites, from 5 children, is presented. Bite-wing radiographs from 500 children were examined. ABL was evident in: 99 sites from 60 children; > 1 site in 27 children; the maxilla only in 34 children; the mandible only in 17 children; both arches in 9 children; 37 sites with no caries; 4.9 percent of all sites with proximal caries; 15.8 percent of all sites with contact loss; and 20.5 percent of all sites with mesial drift. Anaerobic bacteria were cultured from all 20 sites. No significant differences in the percentages of colony forming units of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and black pigmented Bacteroides were found among sites with/without bone loss, with/without caries or probing depths smaller/equal or larger than 2.5 mm.
Among periodontal anaerobic pathogens, the oral spirochetes, and especially Treponema denticola, ... more Among periodontal anaerobic pathogens, the oral spirochetes, and especially Treponema denticola, have been associated with periodontal diseases such as early-onset periodontitis, necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, and acute pericoronitis. Basic research as well as clinical evidence suggest that the prevalence of T. denticola, together with other proteolytic Gram-negative bacteria in high numbers in periodontal pockets, may play an important role in the progression of periodontal disease. The accumulation of these bacteria and their products in the pocket may render the surface lining periodontal cells highly susceptible to lysis and damage. T. denticola has been shown to adhere to fibroblasts and epithelial cells, as well as to extracellular matrix components present in periodontal tissues, and to produce several deleterious factors that may contribute to the virulence of the bacteria. These bacterial components include outer-sheath-associated peptidases, chymotrypsin-like and tryps...
An endotoxin was isolated from Capnocytophaga sputigena strain 4 by a modification of the hot phe... more An endotoxin was isolated from Capnocytophaga sputigena strain 4 by a modification of the hot phenol-water method. The extraction procedure yielded a lipopolysaccharide which accounted for approximately 1.5% of the dry weight of the cells. The material was composed of 18.6% lipid (as C 15 fatty acid), 46.5% neutral sugar including 9.6% hexose, 18.3% 6-deoxy sugar, 1.0% 2-keto-3-deoxy sugar, and 4.8% heptose. Hexosamine, protein, and phosphorus were found in quantities amounting to 9.0, 2.9, and 2.0% of the dry weight, respectively. No pentose or nucleic acid was detected. Acid hydrolysis resulted in the release of the constituent sugars and the formation of an insoluble precipitate. The lipopolysaccharide was tested for numerous biological activities characteristic of endotoxins. The pyrogenicity was relatively low; the fever index 40 was 17 μg, and 10 μg was required to give the characteristic biphasic fever response. The toxicity of the extract was very low, with a 50% chicken emb...
Degradable protein matrices containing chlorhexidine were tested as intra-pocket drug delivery sy... more Degradable protein matrices containing chlorhexidine were tested as intra-pocket drug delivery systems in the treatment of periodontal diseases. The properties of the device were mainly dependent upon the degree of cross linking in the matrix, which could be varied according to the preparative conditions. The degree of cross linking was determined by amino acid analysis based on the amount of free lysine in the protein. The release of chlorhexidine and of the plasticizer used in the preparation of the matrix were determined. The release of chlorhexidine from the matrix was prolonged for a period of 300 hours, and the release of plasticizer ceased after four hours. Limited clinical trials suggest that one of the degradable devices--that containing the highest amount of cross-linking--causes a significant reduction in the amount of perio-pathogenic bacteria following its insertion into the periodontal pockets of patients with periodontal disease.
This study was carried out to examine the release kinetics of chlorhexidine from a sustained rele... more This study was carried out to examine the release kinetics of chlorhexidine from a sustained release device (S. R. D.) prepared from ethyl cellulose (fast S. R. D.) or ethyl cellulose with polyethylene glycol (slow S. R. D.) and to examine the effects on the bacterial flora of pockets in patients with periodontal disease.It was shown that fast S. R. D.'s release up to 80% of the chlorhexidine within the first 3 days in insertion in periodontal pockets, whereas the slow S. R. D.'s release 50% of the chlorhexidine content after 6 days. The release kinetics of chlorhexidine from S. R. D.'s placed in pockets as expressed by the Higuchi system (Higuchi 1963) indicate that it is diffusion controlled. The rate of chlorhexidine release is dependent on the structure of S. R. D., the drag concentration within the device, and the effective surface area.The microbial flora of sixteen pockets from 6 patients were examined using darkfield microscopy at day 0, 3, 10, and 14 after treatment with S. R. D.'s containing, chlorhexidine or placebo S. R. D.'s. The pocket depths ranged from 5–8 mm. The chlorhexidine‐treated group showed a marked decrease in the relative proportions of motile rods and spirochetes and a corresponding increase in non‐motile organisms compared to the flora prior to chlorhexidine treatment or compared to the flora of the placebo treated pockets. These differences were significant up to 10 days post treatment (P &lt; 0.0025).The study indicated the effectiveness of ethyl cellulose polymers as S. R. D.'s in vivo and their ability to reduce the relative proportions of the motile organisms of periodontal pockets to negligible amounts.
Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serotype b lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was found to be able to ... more Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans serotype b lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was found to be able to bind Fusobacterium nucleatum cells and to inhibit binding of F. nucleatum to A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b. Sugar binding studies showed that the requirements for binding of A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b LPS to the F. nucleatum lectin are the presence of a metal divalent ion, an axial free hydroxyl group at position 4, and free equatorial hydroxyl groups at positions 3 and 6 of D-galactose, indicating that the -N-acetyl-Dgalactosamine in the serotype b LPS trisaccharide repeating unit is the monosaccharide residue recognized by the F. nucleatum lectin. These data strongly suggest that A. actinomycetemcomitans serotype b LPS is one of the receptors responsible for the lactose-inhibitable coaggregation of A. actinomycetemcomitans to fusobacteria.
A Porphyromonas endodontalis ATCC 35406 protease was purified from Triton X-114 cell extracts by ... more A Porphyromonas endodontalis ATCC 35406 protease was purified from Triton X-114 cell extracts by preparative SDS-PAGE followed by electroelution. The purified enzyme exhibits a molecular size of 88 kDa and was dissociated into two polypeptides of 43 and 41 kDa upon heating in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate with or without a reducing agent. The protease (pH optimum 7.5-8.0) degraded the extracellular matrix proteins fibrinogen and fibronectin. Collagen IV was also degraded at 37 degrees C but not at 28 degrees C. The protease also cleaved the bioactive peptide angiotensin at amino acid residue phenylalanine-8 and tyrosine-4 but failed to hydrolyze bradykinin, vasopressin and synthetic chromogenic substrates with phenylalanine or tyrosine at the P1 position. In addition, two peptidases were detected in P. endodontalis cells: a proline aminopeptidase that remained associated with the cell pellet after detergent extraction and peptidase/s that partitioned into the Triton X-114 phase after phase separation and degraded the bioactive peptides bradykinin and vasopressin. These P. endodontalis peptidases and proteases may play an important role in both the nutrition and pathogenicity of these assacharolytic microorganisms. The inactivation of bioactive peptides and degradation of extracellular matrix proteins by bacterial enzymes may contribute to the damage of host tissues accompanied with endodontic infections.
Previous reports have shown that coaggregation between Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium... more Previous reports have shown that coaggregation between Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum, two important periodontopathogens, is mediated by a galactoside on the surface of P. gingivalis and a lectin on F. nucleatum. In the present study, purified capsular polysaccharide (CPS) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of P. gingivalis PK 1924 (serotype K5) were found to be able to bind to F. nucleatum cells and to inhibit binding of F. nucleatum to P. gingivalis serotype K5. Sugar binding studies showed that the requirements for binding of P. gingivalis serotype K5 CPS and LPS to the F. nucleatum lectin are: the presence of a metal divalent ion, an axial free hydroxyl group at position 4 and free equatorial hydroxyl groups at position 3 and 6 of D-galactose. These data suggest that P. gingivalis serotype K5-CPS and LPS act as receptors mediating coaggregation between P. gingivalis and fusobacteria.
Electron microscopical observations of the oral periodontopathogen Treponema denticola show the p... more Electron microscopical observations of the oral periodontopathogen Treponema denticola show the presence of extracellular vesicles bound to the bacterial surface or free in the surrounding medium. Extracellular vesicles from T. denticola ATCC 35404, 50 to 100 nm in diameter, were isolated and further characterized. Protein and proteolytic patterns of the vesicles were found to be very similar to those of isolated T. denticola outer sheaths. They were enriched with the major outer sheath polypeptides (molecular sizes, 113 to 234 kDa) and with outer sheath proteases of 91, 153, 173, and 228 kDa. These findings indicate that treponemal outer sheath vesicles contain the necessary adhesins and proteolytic arsenal for adherence to and damage of eucaryotic cells and mammalian matrix proteins. The major outer sheath-and vesicle-associated protease of T. denticola ATCC 35404 was purified and characterized. The purified enzyme had a molecular size of 91 kDa, and it dissociated into three polypeptides of 72, 38, and 35 kDa upon heating in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate with or without a reducing agent. The activity of the enzyme could be inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, and phenylboronic acid. The value of the second-order rate constant of the protease inactivation by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride was 0.48 ؋ 10 4 M ؊1 min ؊1. Inhibition of the enzyme by phenylboronic acid was rapid (<1 min) and pH dependent. These data strongly suggest that this major surface proteolytic activity belongs to a family of serine proteases.
Pathogenic bacteria constitute the primary extrinsic agent in the etiology of early onset Periodo... more Pathogenic bacteria constitute the primary extrinsic agent in the etiology of early onset Periodontitis. However, the risk of developing periodontal disease is not equal for all individuals, suggesting host factors are involved in determining an individual's disease susceptibility. In this report, a case of an otherwise healthy female, who exhibited prepubertal Periodontitis (PPP) at age 10, juvenile Periodontitis (JP) at age 13, and rapidly progressive Periodontitis (RPP) at age 29 years, is presented. Microbial, immunological, and genetic features of the case are presented. PPP, JP, and RPP are considered distinct disease entities, albeit with similar pathology and pathogenesis, yet all were manifest sequentially in the same individual. This report presents the idea that certain individuals are predisposed to early-onset periodontal diseases and the early identification of risk factors is important in the management of these individuals.
The present study compares periodontal parameters, caries, and levels of colony forming units (CF... more The present study compares periodontal parameters, caries, and levels of colony forming units (CFU) of bacteria from subgingival plaque of permanent teeth, to those of primary teeth examined 4 years previously. Six children who had periodontitis and 5 who had no periodontitis in primary teeth (groups A and B respectively) were examined. The microbial examination included the number of CFU of the total anaerobic count, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis. The differences in CFU values for the permanent teeth between groups A and B were not significant. Group A had significantly higher gingival inflammation values in the permanent teeth than group B. Permanent teeth had significantly higher CFU values of P. gingivalis than the primary teeth. Based on the present limited sample, the number of CFU from bacteria of the subgingival plaque of primary teeth are not an adequate predictor of periodontal disease or caries in the permanent teeth.
Several fibrinolytic activities of Treponema denticola, an oral spirochete associated with gingiv... more Several fibrinolytic activities of Treponema denticola, an oral spirochete associated with gingivitis and periodontal disease, were identified and characterized following phase partitioning with the nonionic detergent Triton X-114. The apparent molecular masses of the proteases ranged from 91 to 228 kDa when analyzed in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels containing fibrinogen as the protease substrate. A qualitative analysis of zymograms showed that the proteases were highly enriched in the detergent phase, although the 91-, 173-, and 228-kDa proteases were also found in the aqueous phase. Zymograms of crude outer sheaths prepared by repeated freezing-thawing revealed that the proteases may be associated with this subcellular compartment. The proteases displayed substrate specificity towards fibrinogen, were susceptible to sulfhydryl group reagents, and had a pH optimum between 7 and 8. The similarities in their sensitivity to inhibitors, temperature stability, pH optimum, and laddered protein profiles suggest that these hydrolytic enzymes may
In vivo adsorption of salivary albumin and α-amylase onto titanium, enamel and dentin was analyse... more In vivo adsorption of salivary albumin and α-amylase onto titanium, enamel and dentin was analysed following their exposure to the oral cavity for 2 h. Oral appliances in six adults served as a platform for carrying 4-mm discs of the three materials. Adherent proteins were eluted from the discs and the amounts of salivary albumin and α-amylase were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. While no significant difference between the adsorption of albumin and α-amylase onto enamel as compared with dentin was observed, adsorption onto titanium was significantly lower. A sample of whole saliva was also collected from each participant. The mean total amounts of albumin and α-amylase in the participants' whole saliva were 0.03 and 0.54 mg ml−1, respectively. Titanium adsorbed significantly less (4.43%) of the total albumin than did enamel (14.30%) or dentin (18.80%). No significant difference was found in the relative amounts of α-amylase adsorbed by the three materials. This significantly selective adsorption of proteins may enable the attachment of specific bacteria and thus alter the composition of the dental plaque and its potential pathogenicity.
The predominant subgingival microflora, host immune response, and genetic history of a 14-year-ol... more The predominant subgingival microflora, host immune response, and genetic history of a 14-year-old girl with Papillon-Lefèvre Syndrome (PLS) are reported. The patient had high counts of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and surface translocating bacteria. She had significantly raised levels of antibodies to five of the bacterial species studied with the levels to A. actinomycetemcomitans remaining high after antibiotic therapy. The polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) also released significantly increased amounts of O2 compared to controls. The data presented support a role for A. actinomycetemcomitans and PMN dysfunction in the pathogenesis of PLS.
The present study describes the prevalence of alveolar bone loss (ABL) in children in relation to... more The present study describes the prevalence of alveolar bone loss (ABL) in children in relation to caries, contact and space loss. In addition, the microbial composition of the subgingival plaque of 20 sites, from 5 children, is presented. Bite-wing radiographs from 500 children were examined. ABL was evident in: 99 sites from 60 children; > 1 site in 27 children; the maxilla only in 34 children; the mandible only in 17 children; both arches in 9 children; 37 sites with no caries; 4.9 percent of all sites with proximal caries; 15.8 percent of all sites with contact loss; and 20.5 percent of all sites with mesial drift. Anaerobic bacteria were cultured from all 20 sites. No significant differences in the percentages of colony forming units of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and black pigmented Bacteroides were found among sites with/without bone loss, with/without caries or probing depths smaller/equal or larger than 2.5 mm.
Among periodontal anaerobic pathogens, the oral spirochetes, and especially Treponema denticola, ... more Among periodontal anaerobic pathogens, the oral spirochetes, and especially Treponema denticola, have been associated with periodontal diseases such as early-onset periodontitis, necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, and acute pericoronitis. Basic research as well as clinical evidence suggest that the prevalence of T. denticola, together with other proteolytic Gram-negative bacteria in high numbers in periodontal pockets, may play an important role in the progression of periodontal disease. The accumulation of these bacteria and their products in the pocket may render the surface lining periodontal cells highly susceptible to lysis and damage. T. denticola has been shown to adhere to fibroblasts and epithelial cells, as well as to extracellular matrix components present in periodontal tissues, and to produce several deleterious factors that may contribute to the virulence of the bacteria. These bacterial components include outer-sheath-associated peptidases, chymotrypsin-like and tryps...
An endotoxin was isolated from Capnocytophaga sputigena strain 4 by a modification of the hot phe... more An endotoxin was isolated from Capnocytophaga sputigena strain 4 by a modification of the hot phenol-water method. The extraction procedure yielded a lipopolysaccharide which accounted for approximately 1.5% of the dry weight of the cells. The material was composed of 18.6% lipid (as C 15 fatty acid), 46.5% neutral sugar including 9.6% hexose, 18.3% 6-deoxy sugar, 1.0% 2-keto-3-deoxy sugar, and 4.8% heptose. Hexosamine, protein, and phosphorus were found in quantities amounting to 9.0, 2.9, and 2.0% of the dry weight, respectively. No pentose or nucleic acid was detected. Acid hydrolysis resulted in the release of the constituent sugars and the formation of an insoluble precipitate. The lipopolysaccharide was tested for numerous biological activities characteristic of endotoxins. The pyrogenicity was relatively low; the fever index 40 was 17 μg, and 10 μg was required to give the characteristic biphasic fever response. The toxicity of the extract was very low, with a 50% chicken emb...
Degradable protein matrices containing chlorhexidine were tested as intra-pocket drug delivery sy... more Degradable protein matrices containing chlorhexidine were tested as intra-pocket drug delivery systems in the treatment of periodontal diseases. The properties of the device were mainly dependent upon the degree of cross linking in the matrix, which could be varied according to the preparative conditions. The degree of cross linking was determined by amino acid analysis based on the amount of free lysine in the protein. The release of chlorhexidine and of the plasticizer used in the preparation of the matrix were determined. The release of chlorhexidine from the matrix was prolonged for a period of 300 hours, and the release of plasticizer ceased after four hours. Limited clinical trials suggest that one of the degradable devices--that containing the highest amount of cross-linking--causes a significant reduction in the amount of perio-pathogenic bacteria following its insertion into the periodontal pockets of patients with periodontal disease.
Uploads
Papers by Michael Sela