The photodynamic therapy on Streptococcus mutans biofilms using erythrosine and dental halogen curing unit

Abstract

Protective biofilms produced by cariogenic bacteria can be treated effectively with common and inexpensive dental equipment, Korean research shows. Ho-Won Park and colleagues from Gangneung-Wonju National University have shown that, after eight hours of incubation in cell culture, a novel variation of the technique known as photodynamic therapy (PDT) kills 75% of the biofilm-producing bacterium Streptococcus mutans. In cultures containing sucrose, the treatment was less effective at 55%. PDT uses a nontoxic photosensitizer that, when exposed to light, produces reactive oxygen species that kill bacteria. Although previous research had shown that PDT is effective against cariogenic bacteria, the treatments used specialized and expensive equipment. Park and colleagues’ variation of PDT uses only the photosensitizer erythrosine and a halogen curing unit, which are already used widely by dentists. Future research will investigate its efficacy in clinical situations.

Keywords

biofilms / dental halogen curing unit / erythrosine / photodynamic therapy / Streptococcus mutans

References

[1] Selwitz RH, Ismail AI, Pitts NB. Dental caries. Lancet, 2007, 369(9555): 51-59.

[2] Zanin IC, Goncalves RB, Junior AB. Susceptibility of Streptococcus mutans biofilms to photodynamic therapy: an in vitro study. J Antimicrob Chemother, 2005, 56(2): 324-330.

[3] Svensater G, Welin J, Wilkins JC. Protein expression by planktonic and biofilm cells of Streptococcus mutans. . FEMS Microbiol Lett, 2001, 205(1): 139-146.

[4] O’Toole GA, Kolter R. Initiation of biofilm formation in Pseudomonas fluorescens WCS365 proceeds via multiple, convergent signalling pathways: a genetic analysis. Mol Microbiol, 1998, 28(3): 449-461.

[5] Soukos NS, Goodson JM. Photodynamic therapy in the control of oral biofilms. Periodontol 2000, 2011, 55(1): 143-166.

[6] Stewart PS, Costerton JW. Antibiotic resistance of bacteria in biofilms. Lancet, 2001, 358(92767): 135-138.

[7] Giusti JS, Santos-Pinto L, Pizzolito AC. Antimicrobial photodynamic action on dentin using a light-emitting diode light source. Photomed Laser Surg, 2008, 26(4): 281-287.

[8] Burns T, Wilson M, Pearson GJ. Effect of dentine and collagen on the lethal photosensitization of Streptococcus mutans. . Caries Res, 1995, 29(3): 192-197.

[9] Dobson J, Wilson M. Sensitization of oral bacteria in biofilms to killing by light from a low-power laser. Arch Oral Biol, 1992, 37(11): 883-887.

[10] Okamoto H, Iwase T, Morioka T. Dye-mediated bactericidal effect of He-Ne laser irradiation on oral microorganisms. Lasers Surg Med, 1992, 12(4): 450-458.

[11] Soukos NS, Wilson M, Burns T. Photodynamic effects of toluidine blue on human oral keratinocytes and fibroblasts and Streptococcus sanguis evaluated in vitro. . Lasers Surg Med, 1996, 18(3): 253-259.

[12] Garcez AS, Nunez SC, Hamblin MR. Antimicrobial effects of photodynamic therapy on patients with necrotic pulps and periapical lesion. J Endod, 2008, 34(2): 138-142.

[13] Costa AC, Chibebe Junior J, Pereira CA. Susceptibility of planktonic cultures of Streptococcus mutans to photodynamic therapy with a light-emitting diode. Braz Oral Res, 2010, 24(4): 413-418.

[14] Sharma M, Visai L, Bragheri F. Toluidine blue-mediated photodynamic effects on staphylococcal biofilms. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 2008, 52(1): 299-305.

[15] Sharman WM, Allen CM, van Lier JE. Photodynamic therapeutics: basic principles and clinical applications. Drug Discov Today, 1999, 4(11): 507-517.

[16] Wood S, Metcalf D, Devine D. Erythrosine is a potential photosensitizer for the photodynamic therapy of oral plaque biofilms. J Antimicrob Chemother, 2006, 57(4): 680-684.

[17] Metcalf D, Robinson C, Devine D. Enhancement of erythrosine-mediated photodynamic therapy of Streptococcus mutans biofilms by light fractionation. J Antimicrob Chemother, 2006, 58(1): 190-192.

[18] Wilson M, Burns T, Pratten J. Killing of Streptococcus sanguis in biofilms using a light-activated antimicrobial agent. J Antimicrob Chemother, 1996, 37(2): 377-381.

[19] Gad F, Zahra T, Hasan T. Effects of growth phase and extracellular slime on photodynamic inactivation of gram-positive pathogenic bacteria. Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 2004, 48(6): 2173-2178.

[20] Bevilacqua IM, Nicolau RA, Khouri S. The impact of photodynamic therapy on the viability of Streptococcus mutans in a planktonic culture. Photomed Laser Surg, 2007, 25(6): 513-518.

[21] Vahabi S, Fekrazad R, Ayremlou S. The effect of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy with radachlorin and toluidine blue on Streptococcus mutans: an in vitro study. J Dent (Tehran), 2011, 8(2): 48-54.

[22] Zanin IC, Lobo MM, Rodrigues LK. Photosensitization of in vitro biofilms by toluidine blue O combined with a light-emitting diode. Eur J Oral Sci, 2006, 114(1): 64-69.

[23] Bolean M, Paulino Tde P, Thedei G Jr. Photodynamic therapy with rose bengal induces GroEL expression in Streptococcus mutans. . Photomed Laser Surg, 2010, 28 (Suppl 1): S79-S84.

[24] Kreth J, Tam K, Merritt J. Quantitiative analyses of Streptococcus mutans biofilms with quartz crystal microbalance, microjet impingement and confocal microscopy. Biofilms, 2004, 1(4): 277-284.

[25] Li LN, Guo LH, Lux R. Targeted antimicrobial therapy against Streptococcus mutans establishes protective non-cariogenic oral biofilms and reduces subsequent infection. Int J Oral Sci, 2011, 2(2): 66-73.