The elucidation of the pathogenic activity of oral biofilm by Metabolomics approach

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23792498
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Social dentistry
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: WASHIO Jumpei 東北大学, 歯学研究科(研究院), 助教 (20400260)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: メタボローム / バイオフィルム / 代謝 / 細菌 / 糖質 / 代用糖 / アミノ酸

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to elucidate, in vivo, the metabolism of several substrates in the oral biofilm and the actual influences of medicines such as fluoride and sugar substitutes such as xylitol to them through the metabolomic analysis approach using CE-TOFMS.
Consequently, it showed that, as well as sugar, the amino acids, especially glutamine and glutamate, are actually used as substrates in the oral biofilm. Moreover, it suggested that each amino acid is fermented by its respectively characteristic metabolism. The study also showed that fluoride can influence the sugar metabolism, including the inhibition of enolase and acid production, in the real oral biofilm as well, and suggested that fluoride affects some other metabolic reactions. In contrast, xylitol was suggested to have almost no effect on acid production and the metabolome profile in the oral biofilm, although xylitol 5-phosphate was produced.

Free Research Field

口腔生化学、予防歯科学