Print - 0974-2441 PTMDS 2017 | The 1 st Physics and Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry Symposium ANALYSIS ON THE INHIBITION OF AGGREGATIBACTER ACTINOMYCETEMCOMITANS BY STREPTOCOCCUS SALIVARIUS ISOLATED FROM SALIVA AND TONGUE DORSUM OF ADULTS REGINA VANIABELLA, HEDIJANTI JOENOES, BOY M BACHTIAR* Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia. Email: boybachtiar@gmail.com Received: 21 April 2017, Revised and Accepted: 13 July 2017 ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the inhibitory potential of S. salivarius isolated from saliva and the dorsum of the tongue, and the protein it produces, in inhibiting the growth of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. Methods: Examine the inhibition zone of A. actinomycetemcomitans formed by the treatment of S. salivarius isolated from saliva and the tongue dorsum, along with the protein produced, in 10 participants using a deferred antagonism test with well-diffused gelatin. Results: The inhibitory zone of S. salivarius isolated from saliva and the tongue against A. actinomycetemcomitans is insignificantly different (p≥0.05). There is no inhibition of the growth of A. actinomycetemcomitans shown by whole-cell and spent medium proteins of S. salivarius. Conclusion: S. salivarius isolated from both saliva and the tongue dorsum is able to inhibit the growth of A. actinomycetemcomitans, but not the protein they produce. Keywords: Streptococcus salivarius, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Lantibiotic, Probiotic. INTRODUCTION Probiotics, according to the World Health Organization, are live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts are capable of providing health benefits for the recipient [1]. In recent years, research related to the use of oral probiotics for the prevention of dental caries and plaque biofilm formation, as well as for the treatment of halitosis and pharyngitis, has been successfully performed [1]. The aim of probiotic use in the oral cavity is to help prevent these diseases. Probiotics work by inhibiting the adhesion of pathogens in host tissues, stimulating and modulating the immune system of the mucosa, modulating apoptosis in cell proliferation, and improving the integrity of the barrier. Probiotics also kill or inhibit the growth of pathogens through the production of antimicrobial compounds such as bacteriocins or other products that are antagonistic against pathogens [2]. Unlike antibiotics, bacteriocins kill the bacteria within a relatively narrow spectrum [3]. Several studies have been conducted on the various multidrug-resistant pathogens that require natural antibiotic alternatives to restrict the use of antibiotic additives. One such alternative is the lantibiotic produced by Streptococcus salivarius. S. salivarius is an essential element of biofilms in healthy individuals that colonize the oral mucosa, the dorsum of the tongue, and the pharyngeal mucosa [4]. S. salivarius is found as a pioneer colony in the human oral cavity from an early age. Its presence in the oral cavity can be identified within 2 days after birth and will settle as the predominant bacteria [1]. The number of S. salivarius in healthy adults can be as much as 2% from the isolated buccal mucosa, 17% from the tongue, and 30% from the pharynx. In the saliva samples of an adult population, S. salivarius’ levels range from 10 6 to 10 7 colony-forming units (CFU)/ml [1]. S. salivarius has strains that are able to produce oral probiotics by releasing lantibiotics in large amounts in saliva, which in turn are able to eliminate harmful bacteria [4]. A lantibiotic is an antimicrobial peptide or small protein produced by the bacteria, which is able to kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms. The lantibiotic produced by S. salivarius plays an important role in stabilizing the oral microbiota, preventing the excessive growth of pathogens, and preventing infections such as periodontitis. In Indonesia, as in other developing countries, periodontal disease is an oral health problem for all age groups. Periodontal disease in Indonesia has the second highest prevalence after caries, which has an incident rate of 60% [5]. This high prevalence should encourage dentists to take a more proactive role with patients in preventing periodontitis in the coming years. Periodontitis is an infection of the supporting structures of the teeth caused by inflammation due to the formation of plaque and calculus from bacteria. This is followed by periodontal pocket formation which then results in progressive damage to the periodontal ligament and alveolar bone structure. The disease is stimulated by 90% of facultative anaerobic bacteria and 75% of which are Gram- negative bacteria. Some of the main causes of periodontal disease include inflammation of the periodontal tissues, attachment loss in the alveolar bone structure, and the accumulation of bacteria such as Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, which triggers the formation of microbial plaque. A. actinomycetemcomitans is part of the normal flora in healthy individuals and is the predominant pathogen associated with localized aggressive periodontitis. A. actinomycetemcomitans has a variety of virulence factors, including the leukotoxin gene, which plays a role in the decline of the immune response and degradation of gingival epithelial attachment on periodontal tissues. Treatments given to patients with periodontitis may include conventional mechanical treatments such as scaling, root planing, and surgical intervention. However, patients with periodontitis caused by the bacterium A. actinomycetemcomitans often require not only conventional mechanical treatment but also antibiotic therapy. This is because the bacteria are able to invade the entire soft tissue and quickly colonize the periodontal pocket after doing mechanical therapy without antibiotics. Therefore, probiotic agents are expected to play a role in stopping or reducing the bacterial growth of A. actinomycetemcomitans in the oral cavity. Although the effects of S. salivarius probiotics are widely known, there has not been any research until now that proved the inhibitory potency of the lantibiotic released Research Article © 2017 The Authors. Published by Innovare Academic Sciences Pvt Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by/4. 0/) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22159/ajpcr.2017.v10s5 .23081 Online - 2455-3891 Special Issue (October)