Acyl homoserine lactone-mediated quorum sensing in the oral cavity: a paradigm revisited

Acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), the quorum sensing (QS) signals produced by Gram-negative bacteria, are currently considered to play a minor role in the development of oral biofilm since their production by oral pathogens has not been ascertained thus far. However, we report the presence of AHLs in different oral samples and their production by the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis. The importance of AHLs is further supported by a very high prevalence of AHL-degradation capability, up to 60%, among bacteria isolated from dental plaque and saliva samples. Furthermore, the wide-spectrum AHL-lactonase Aii20J significantly inhibited oral biofilm formation in different in vitro biofilm models and caused important changes in bacterial composition. Besides, the inhibitory effect of Aii20J on a mixed biofilm of 6 oral pathogens was verified using confocal microscopy. Much more research is needed in order to be able to associate specific AHLs with oral pathologies and to individuate the key actors in AHL-mediated QS processes in dental plaque formation. However, these results indicate a higher relevance of the AHLs in the oral cavity than generally accepted thus far and suggest the potential use of inhibitory strategies against these signals for the prevention and treatment of oral diseases.