Adherence of oral treponemes and their effect on morphological damage and detachment of epithelial cells in vitro

Abstract

The present study shows adherence of Treponema denticola L(12D) and Treponema vincentii Ritz(A) to guinea pig ear epithelial cells in vitro. The number of adhering organisms was positively related with the treponemal concentration and contact time. Incubation of washed T. denticola L(12D) and T. vincentii Ritz(A) organisms or their culture supernatants with the epithelial cells induced morphological damage and detachment of these cells. In addition, indications for inhibition of epithelial cell proliferation were found. The activity of the supernatants was dose dependent, heat sensitive, and sensitive to sulfhydryl-containing components, suggesting the presence of enzymatic activity that might be of importance in the pathogenicity of these oral treponemes.