Bacteria Residing at Root Canals Can Induce Cell Proliferation and Alter the Mechanical Properties of Gingival and Cancer Cells

Understanding the importance of oral microbiota in human health and disease also leads to an expansion of the knowledge on functional, metabolic, and molecular alterations directly contributing to oral and systemic pathologies. To date, a compelling number of studies have documented the crucial role...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Łukasz Suprewicz, Grażyna Tokajuk, Mateusz Cieśluk, Piotr Deptuła, Teresa Sierpińska, Przemysław Wolak, Tomasz Wollny, Joanna Tokajuk, Stanisław Głuszek, Ewelina Piktel, Robert Bucki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/21/7914
Description
Summary:Understanding the importance of oral microbiota in human health and disease also leads to an expansion of the knowledge on functional, metabolic, and molecular alterations directly contributing to oral and systemic pathologies. To date, a compelling number of studies have documented the crucial role of some oral cavity-occurring microbes in the initiation and progression of cancers. Although this effect was noted primarily for <i>Fusobacterium</i> spp., the potential impact of other oral microbes is also worthy of investigation. In this study, we aimed to assess the effect of <i>Enterococcus faecalis</i>, <i>Actinomyces odontolyticus</i>, and <i>Propionibacterium acnes</i> on the proliferation capability and mechanical features of gingival cells and cell lines derived from lung, breast, and ovarian cancers. For this purpose, we incubated selected cell lines with heat-inactivated bacteria and supernatants collected from biofilms, cultured in both anaerobic and aerobic conditions, in the presence of surgically removed teeth and human saliva. The effect of oral bacteria on cell population growth is variable, with the highest growth-promoting abilities observed for <i>E. faecalis</i> in relation to human primary gingival fibroblasts (HGF) and lung cancer A549 cells, and <i>P. acnes</i> in relation to breast cancer MCF-7 and ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells. Notably, this effect seems to depend on a delicate balance between the pro-stimulatory and toxic effects of bacterial-derived products. Regardless of the diverse effect of bacterial products on cellular proliferation capability, we observed significant alterations in stiffness of gingival and lung cancer cells stimulated with <i>E. faecalis</i> bacteria and corresponding biofilm supernatants, suggesting a novel molecular mechanism involved in the pathogenesis of diseases in oral cavities and tooth tissues. Accordingly, it is proposed that analysis of cancerogenic features of oral cavity bacteria should be multivariable and should include investigation of potential alterations in cell mechanical properties. These findings corroborate the important role of oral hygiene and root canal treatment to assure the healthy stage of oral microbiota.
ISSN:1661-6596
1422-0067