密螺旋體屬的口腔細菌通常聚集起來,，和其它口腔細菌混合起來產(chǎn)生破壞性的牙菌斑,，由細菌,、唾液和食物殘渣組成的牙菌斑成為牙齦出血和牙周炎的主要原因，如果嚴重,，后期會發(fā)展成嚴重的牙周炎,，甚至牙齒掉落，造成牙周病的主要原因是口腔中各種細菌的相互作用,。
來自英國的研究人員近日在密螺旋體屬口腔細菌表面發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個CTLP分子,，該分子可以識別不同的口腔細菌群落，并且吸附至其它細菌表面,，一旦CTLP與其它細菌表面的分子混合,，就開始在口腔中肆虐，抑制血液凝固,，造成組織壞死,。
Howard Jenkinson教授領(lǐng)導(dǎo)這一研究，研究論文已于近日刊登在了國際雜志Microbiology上,，他表示,，牙周病和牙齦出血是常見病，這種病影響很多人,，包括老人,，懷孕婦女和糖尿病患者，發(fā)明新的控制方法去控制口腔細菌的感染需要深入了解感染涉及的微生物,，他們之間是如何進行反應(yīng)的,，而且還要深入了解這些口腔微生物之間是如何合作從而造成牙菌斑的。
這項研究的亮點在于發(fā)現(xiàn)了CTLP可以作為潛在的治療口腔感染的新的藥物靶點，CTLP分子可以讓密螺旋體屬的口腔細菌隨意進入別的細菌構(gòu)筑的社區(qū),，而且可以進行生長和繁殖,，抑制了這個分子，將會阻止密螺旋體屬的口腔細菌進入其它細菌的社區(qū),，進而防治了聯(lián)合感染引起的牙出血,，研究小組目前正在著手尋找可以抑制CTLP分子的化合物，Jenkinson教授表示,，如果可以找到一種抑制CTLP分子的化合物,，就可以在牙齦出血的高危病人身上進行實驗。
這項最新的研究也支持了Jenkinson教授先前的關(guān)于口腔有害細菌的研究結(jié)果,，Jenkinson教授最后說,，保持一個有規(guī)律的刷牙習慣和保持口腔衛(wèi)生對于抑制口腔有害細菌是非常重要的。（生物谷：T.Shen編譯）
doi:10.1099/mic.0.055939-0
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PMID:
Treponema denticola chymotrypsin-like proteinase (CTLP) integrates spirochaetes within oral microbial communities
V. Cogoni1, A. Morgan-Smith1, J. C. Fenno2, H. F. Jenkinson1,3 and D. Dymock1
Treponema denticola is found ubiquitously in the human oral cavity and is mainly associated with bacterial communities implicated in the establishment and development of periodontal disease. The ability to become integrated within biofilm communities is crucial to the growth and survival of oral bacteria, and involves inter-bacterial coaggregation, metabolic co-operation, and synergy against host defences. In this article we show that the chymotrypsin-like proteinase (CTLP), found within a high molecular mass complex on the cell surface, mediates adherence of T. denticola to other potential periodontal pathogens Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, and Parvimonas micra. Proteolytic activity per se did not appear to be required for the interactions, and expression of the major outer sheath protein (Msp) was not necessary, except for binding P. micra. Biofilms of densely packed cells and matrix, up to 40 µm in depth, were formed between T. denticola and P. gingivalis on salivary pellicle, with T. denticola cells enriched in the upper layers. Expression of CTLP, but not Msp, was critical for dual species biofilm formation with P. gingivalis. T. denticola did not form dual-species biofilms with any of the other three periodontal bacterial species under various conditions. Synergy between T. denticola and P. gingivalis was also shown with increased inhibition of blood clotting, which was CTLP-dependent. The results demonstrate the critical role of CTLP in interactions of T. denticola with other oral microorganisms, leading to synergy in microbial community development and host tissue pathogenesis.
